Pitti Palace Palatine Gallery
Piazza de Pitti 1, Florence, Tuscany, 50125
One of the grandest Renaissance buildings in Florence, the 15th-century Pitti Palace houses the Palatine Gallery, a collection of over 500 paintings dating from the 15th to the 17th century. The collection features works by Italian masters like Titian, Raphael, Caravaggio, and Pietro da Cortona, and other European painters like Rubens and Velazquez.
The Basics
Palazzo Pitti was home to Florence’s Medici family for centuries, and today the palace’s rooms and halls form a sumptuous backdrop for the Renaissance and baroque paintings and frescoes in the Palatine Gallery (Galleria Palatina), formerly the private collection of the Grand Duke. Laid out according to the Grand Duke’s personal tastes rather than by painting school or chronological order, the gallery was opened to visitors in 1828 by Leopold I of Lorraine.
Though less well-known than Florence’s Uffizi Gallery (Galleria degli Uffizi) or Accademia Gallery (Galleria dell'Accademia), the Palatine Gallery matches both in importance and beauty, and is best visited with an expert tour guide who can concentrate on the most significant works from the hundreds on display. Most guided tours of Pitti Palace include a visit to the gallery along with the Royal Apartments, the Gallery of Modern Art, and the Boboli Gardens.
Things to Know Before You Go
The Palatine Gallery is of special interest for art and history buffs.
Pitti Palace is the largest museum complex in Florence and exploring requires quite a bit of time on your feet, so be sure to wear comfortable shoes.
Traveling families can use the private nursery for feeding and changing infants.
There is a café and bookshop in the courtyard of the Pitti Palace.
The Palatine Gallery is accessible to wheelchair users.
How to Get There
The Palatine Gallery is located in the Oltrarno neighborhood on Piazza Pitti, about a 15-minute walk from the Firenze Santa Maria Novella train station across the famous Ponte Vecchio.
When to Get There
The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday 8:15am to 6:50pm. Florence, the capital of Tuscany, is one of the most popular destinations in Italy, so its sights and museums can be very crowded in the summer. Schedule a visit to the Palatine Gallery in spring or fall, if possible, and avoid the first Sunday of the month, when the museum is free and particularly packed.
Other Museum Highlights in Florence
Art aficionados visiting Florence must also plan on visiting Michelangelo’sDavid at the Accademia Gallery and the masterpieces in the Uffizi Gallery.
Can you buy tickets at Galleria Palatina?
No, the Galleria Palatina (Palatine Gallery) is part of the Pitti Palace museum complex and you cannot purchase tickets at the gallery itself. To visit, buy Pitti Palace tickets—which include admission to the Galleria Palatina—either online or at the on-site ticket office near the palace entrance.
How many paintings are in Galleria Palatina?
The gallery is home to about 500 paintings, including the largest collection of works by Raphael in the world plus masterpieces by other Renaissance and baroque artists. In addition, the halls hold sculptures, vases, furnishings, and other decorative pieces from the 16th and 17th centuries.
Can you take photos inside Galleria Palatina?
Yes, the Galleria Palatina is part of Florence’s state museum network, which permits non-flash photography in all of its sites. Selfie sticks, tripods, and professional equipment are forbidden, and visitors should take care not to disturb others when snapping photos.
How long does it take to visit Galleria Palatina?
There are 28 art-stuffed rooms in the Palatine Gallery, so you need at least an hour to cover just the highlights. You can easily spend an entire day exploring the Palazzo Pitti complex, but you can see the main areas like the Palatine Gallery and Imperial and Royal Apartments in about three hours.
Will a Galleria Palaina ticket also get me into the royal apartments?
Yes, though there is no ticket exclusively for the Galleria Palatina. You must purchase a general Palazzo Pitti ticket, which includes admission to both the Palatine Gallery and Imperial and Royal Apartments, plus the Treasury, Costume and Fashion Museum, Modern Art Gallery, and Museum of Russian Icons.
Is Galleria Palaina one of the best art museums in Florence?
Yes, the Palatine Gallery holds one of the city’s top collections of Renaissance and baroque art assembled by the Medici family over centuries. Must-see masterpieces include a world-class collection of paintings by Raphael, Caravaggio’s “Sleeping Cupid”, a number of portraits by Rubens, plus works by Botticelli, Titian, and Tintoretto.
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