Palazzo Barberini

Explore and applaud the striking magnificence of Palazzo Barberini which is the most marvellous of all the Roman Baroque palaces. Located in the heart of Roma, Palazzo Barberini is an architectural wonder that is well known for its spectacular design, cultural significance and beautiful paintings. This 17th century palace was originally built as the residence of the Pope Urban VIII who wanted to extend his dwelling for his family. The palace was later transformed into a museum and today it houses the national Gallery of Ancient Art that exhibits more than 40 artworks attracting art lovers and architecture enthusiasts from all over the world.

Palazzo Barberini Roma sports a large front courtyard from where you can see the quaint portico facade where a false glass loggia is placed. The interior of the palace is as opulent and decorative as the exterior. You can witness ravishing fresco pictures sketched on the ceiling of the salon by prominent Italian artists. Take a walk through the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica and catch a glimpse of medieval paintings, artworks and sculptures. The place also hosts exhibitions displaying these artworks on a regular basis.

The Palazzo Barberini was constructed as a residential palace for the newly elected Pope of Rome, Maffeo Barberini. Two years after Barberini became the Pope, he wanted to extend his place of residence for his nephews and hence he acquired the villa on Quirinal Hill that belonged to the Sforza family. So he commissioned Carlo Moderna who is a famous Italian architect to transform the villa into his residence along with Francesco Borromini. Moderna, instead of demolishing the existing building, incorporated it as the North Wing of the Barberini Palace. The Palazzo Barberini Roma was constructed as an open-winged H shaped block with no interior courtyard. After Moderna passed away, Gian Lorenzo Bermini was designated to carry on with the construction and he completed the work in 1633. The Barberini Palace was heavily remodelled between 1671 and 1679 under the guidance of Angelo Torrone. The ground floor was completely dedicated for the display of the Barberini family’s huge collection of artworks while the rooms on the first floor were rearranged. Pietro da Cortona directed the work of fresco paintings in the palace from 1631 to 1632. The descendants of the Barberini family lived in the Palazzo Barberini until 1955.