Palazzo Barberini houses Rome’s National Gallery of Ancient Art in a 17th-century palace on Via delle Quattro Fontane. The collection includes Caravaggio’s Judith Beheading Holofernes and Narcissus, Raphael’s La Fornarina, and works by Titian and El Greco. The building is part of the visit: compare Bernini’s square staircase with Borromini’s oval spiral, then look up at Pietro da Cortona’s ceiling fresco. It is a central stop for Renaissance and Baroque art, with a calmer atmosphere than Rome’s busiest museums.
A palace built for the Barberini family
Palazzo Barberini was built in the 17th century for the Barberini family, whose rise to papal power came when one of its members became Pope Urban VIII. The palace was intended to express the family’s status. Today it houses the National Gallery of Ancient Art, with Renaissance and Baroque works displayed in the historic building.
The gallery is one of two sites managed together as Rome’s National Gallery of Ancient Art. The other is Galleria Corsini in Trastevere. A single ticket covers both palaces and is valid for 20 days, so you can visit them on separate days.
Bernini and Borromini’s staircases
The palace’s design involved Carlo Maderno, Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Francesco Borromini. Maderno began the work; after his death, Bernini took over, with Borromini also contributing. Their different approaches remain visible in two staircases. Bernini’s is square and monumental, while Borromini’s rises in a spiral around an oval plan, with paired columns.
The building is part of the collection, not just a setting for it. Look through the halls and architectural details as you move between the paintings. The contrast between the staircases gives a clear sense of the distinct forms the palace’s architects brought to the project.
Paintings and the ceiling fresco
The collection includes Caravaggio’s Judith Beheading Holofernes and Narcissus, as well as Raphael’s portrait of Margherita Luti, known as La Fornarina. Works by Titian, El Greco, Guido Reni and Hans Holbein the Younger are also represented. Filippo Lippi’s Annunciation is another work to look for among the gallery’s Renaissance and Baroque paintings.
Pietro da Cortona’s ceiling fresco, The Triumph of Divine Providence, dates from 1632 to 1639. Its scale makes it easy to miss details while standing directly beneath it. Leather sofas in the room give you a place to sit and look upward. The gallery’s spacious rooms also give you room to pause with individual works.
FAQ
What are the highlights at Palazzo Barberini?
Look for Caravaggio’s Judith Beheading Holofernes and Narcissus, Raphael’s La Fornarina, and Pietro da Cortona’s ceiling fresco. The palace’s Bernini and Borromini staircases are also notable.
Does a Palazzo Barberini ticket include Galleria Corsini?
Yes. One ticket covers both galleries and is valid for 20 days.
Is Palazzo Barberini open on Mondays?
No. The museum is closed on Mondays.
Which artists are represented in the collection?
The collection includes works by Caravaggio, Raphael, Titian, El Greco, Guido Reni and Hans Holbein the Younger.
