The Barberini Palace is interesting. National Gallery of Ancient Art in Rome

Italy has many stunning historical buildings that have passed through many centuries and give us the opportunity to have an idea of ​​past eras. One of these historical complexes is Palazzo Barberini. The palace was once the abode of the very influential Barberini family. But a lot of time has passed since then and now within its walls there is an art gallery where you can see paintings by Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio, Reni and many others. The palace is an integral part of the National Gallery of Ancient Art.

Family history

In the eleventh century, the Barberini family settled in Florence, which was already rich and influential. One of the family members, Raphael, visited Russia in 1564 with a letter for Ivan the Terrible from the English Queen Elizabeth. The letter discussed the establishment of commercial ties. And today, the library of the palace houses Raphael’s work, in which he described everything he saw in Moscow during his travels.

It was Maffeo Barberini who made the greatest contribution to the exaltation of the family. By the way. His nephews Antonio and Francesco became cardinals, and another representative of the family, Taddeo, became Prince of Palestrina, and was also appointed general of the army and even received the post of prefect of Rome. M. Barberini himself was elected Pope and was known under the name of Pontiff Urban VIII. But in 1645, after his death, difficult times came for the entire family. A new Pope, Innocent X, came to power and provided evidence of all sorts of machinations and abuses of the Barberini family. Thus, representatives of a noble family fell into disgrace. Only later the situation changed a little thanks to the patronage of Cardinal Mazarin. But already in the middle of the eighteenth century the male branch of the family was cut short. Princess Cornelia, the last representative of the family, got married and laid the foundation for a new branch - Barberini Colonna.

History of Palazzo Barberini

Initially, the palace was intended to be almost a royal residence. Urbana VIII was going to live in it with his family, so plans included receiving high-ranking guests. This means that the building had to correspond to such a high status.

In the medieval era, the territory on which Palazzo Barberini was later built belonged to the wealthy Sforza family. It was at their request that the first small palace was built here. However, due to financial problems, in 1625 Alessandro Sforza sold the lands to M. Barberini, who at that time had already been elected Pope. The new owner immediately began rebuilding the palace. Construction work continued from 1627 to 1634. Initially, Carlo Moderna worked on the project. Subsequently, plans gradually changed. And he was replaced by Francesco Borromini. Well, the construction work was completed by D. Bernini and Pietro da Corton.

The large palace building consisted of a main building and two adjacent wings. For the first time in the history of the city, a beautiful large park was laid out around the palace. True, it has not survived to this day because it was destroyed.

The Pontiff even introduced new taxes so that Francesco Borromini could finish his beautiful architectural creation on time.

The work was carried out quite quickly. According to Bernini's plan, the rear facade of the building was first made, and then the windows and spiral staircase. Soon His staircase appeared in the left wing, shaped like a square well. In addition, the architect was also involved in the design of the front façade of the building, which faces the Street of Four Fountains. It is on this side that the main entrance of the palace is located with a metal fence and pillars in the form of Atlases.

The modern street San Nicola de Tolentino is the site of stables. And on Bernini Street there is the Manezhny Dvor and the theater. All buildings to the left of Barberini Square were destroyed at one time.

Activities of the Barberini family

For ten years, the family was active in philanthropic activities. The modern Barberini Gallery became a gathering place for representatives of the arts already in the seventeenth century. The Barberini salon was visited by such famous people as Gabriello Chiabrera, Giovanni Ciampoli, Francesco Bracciolini, and many others.

Of course, from the height of time, Barberini’s patronage of the arts looks more like the use of representatives of art to decorate the palace and exalt himself. Even the interiors of the building confirm this. In the central hall of the salon there is a stunning ceiling lamp, which is called “The Triumph of Divine Providence.” The giant canvas is dedicated to the Barberini family.

Another, no less luxurious lampshade was painted by Andrea Sacchi and was called “The Triumph of Divine Wisdom.” The painting was also dedicated to Urban VIII.

Palace decor

Palazzo Barberini undoubtedly boasts luxurious decor. A stunning place worth admiring is the Hall of Statues and the Marble Hall, located in the left wing of the complex. In them you can see real examples of classic sculptures that were included in the Barberini collection. By the way, the hall of statues was very famous in Italy because it was distinguished by its wealth and beauty. From 1627 to 1683 There was a workshop for making tapestries within the palace walls. The first Flemish fabrics were produced here, which became a real decoration of many Baroque palaces in Rome.

The tapestries were true works of art. They were made according to da Cortona's sketches, and the work was supervised by Jacopo de Rivere. The last floor of the building was occupied by the library of Cardinal Francesco (the pope's nephew). It contained 10 thousand manuscripts and 60 thousand volumes.

The further fate of the palace

After the death of the pontiff in 1644, Palazzo Barberini was confiscated by order of the new Pope Innocent. The heirs of Urban VIII were suspected of embezzlement. But in 1653, the beautiful palazzo again became the property of the family. Later, at the beginning of the twentieth century, the heirs had to abandon the family palace due to the economic crisis. In 1935, part of the building was purchased by the Finmare shipping company, which completely rebuilt it. And in 1949, the entire complex was purchased by the state. The Barberini family also sold all their sculptures and paintings in 1952. Later, a gallery was located in the left wing of the building, and the right was used for officer meetings.

Decoration and architecture of the building

Photos of the palace cannot fully convey its beauty. The three-story building consists of a main building and also has two side wings. The entire territory of the estate is fenced with a fence on which there are flies (a symbol of the family). Behind the main building there is a small clock, which is just a small remnant of the old days. And yet the garden is impressive even now.

The left wing of the building is decorated with frescoes by Pietro de Cortona, created in 1630. Carlo Maderna and P. de Cortona made a huge contribution to the creation of the unique image of the palazzo.

As we already mentioned, in the right wing there are antique statues. Rob Barberini had a whole collection of antiques. Unfortunately, only a few creations have survived to this day. For a long time the hall was used as a theater hall; it accommodated about 200 spectators. One of the most unusual attractions is the stunning spiral staircase, handmade by Francesco Borromini.

Gallery of Ancient Art

As we have already mentioned, the National Gallery of Ancient Art is currently located within the walls of the palace. By the way, its exhibition occupies two buildings at once - Palazzo Corsini and Palazzo Barberini. At one time, a rich collection was obtained by merging several well-known private collections. The basis of the exhibition was a collection of art objects by Nero Corsini. Later, the collection was replenished with the collections of the Duke of Torlonia, as well as paintings from the gallery called Monte di Pietà. All these private collections were combined into a single whole and housed in the National Gallery. Among them you can see works by Caravaggio, Raphael, Guido Reni, El Greco, Titian and many other great artists.

The pride of the collection are the works of Renaissance masters. The palazzo contains the painting “Fornarina” by Raphael, as well as “Judith and Holofernes” by Caravaggio.

The fate of the library

At one time, the top floor of the palazzo was occupied by a large library. The impressive collection of books and manuscripts testifies to the high level of intelligence of the person to whom it belonged. Later the entire library was transferred to the Vatican. But in the premises where books were previously located, there is now a museum of the Institute of Numismatics.

Exhibition halls of the palace

Not long ago, the palazzo was closed for restoration work, which lasted five years. The building was reopened to visitors in 2011. Currently, guests can explore 34 rooms in the building. And in November 2014, several more rooms of Cornelia Constance Barberini herself, located on the second floor of the palace, were also opened. It was in them that the last heirs of the once great family lived until 1955. The interiors and furnishings here have been miraculously preserved, thanks to which contemporaries can have an idea of ​​the tastes of the nobility of the eighteenth century. However, these halls can only be visited on certain days. They are open to guests on the first Saturday of every month for excursion groups by prior arrangement.

The area around the palazzo

The garden located behind the building became part of the palace complex designed by Maderno. It is decorated with ornate hedges and beautiful flower beds. Initially, the garden occupied a very vast area. To arrange it, Cardinal Barberini, the pope’s nephew, invited the naturalist and botanist Cassiano dal Pozzo, who cultivated all kinds of exotic plants on the territory, and various animals also lived here: deer, ostriches and even camels. However, at the end of the nineteenth century, Rome was annexed and therefore plots of the garden began to be sold for the construction of ministerial buildings. In addition, in 1936, by decree of Mussolini, most of the land was transferred into the hands of Count Ascanio di Bazza. As a result, the modern garden has very modest dimensions compared to the original ones.

To be fair, it is worth noting that throughout its long history, the palace building has hardly undergone any changes. The only additional decoration of the building was a fountain designed by Francesco Azzurri.

By the way, the fence along the Street of Four Fountains and the main front gate were built only in 1865. The Atlantean statues were designed and made by Scipione Tadolini, who was a hereditary architect from a famous family of sculptors.

Collaborators or competitors

Several architects contributed to the construction and design of the palace. Construction began with Carlo Maderna, who significantly enlarged the Renaissance building of the original Sforza Villa. After all, the architect was faced with the task of building a real masterpiece. But Maderno never managed to complete the work he started and see the finished palace with his own eyes. After his death, Jean Berini, who collaborated with Maderno’s grandson, Francesco Borromini, took over the work.

Experts are still actively debating how much the original design of the palace was changed or preserved. After all, it is obvious that some parts of the building are very contradictory, which is noticeable even to those people who are far from architecture. It is believed that the monumental staircase, the main entrance, is the work of Bernini. Perhaps as a counterbalance, a spiral staircase was built to reach the upper floors. It was she who led Cardinal Barberini to the library.

public tours

accessibility

“Encounter the original, share the passion.”

Benefactor and patron Prof. Dr. h. c. mult.
Hasso Plattner on the Museum Barberini’s mission

Take a Walk with the Barberini App

Explore Potsdam!

The exhibition Baroque Pathways Italy in Potsdam

The exhibition Baroque Pathways at the Museum Barberini invites you to explore Italian influences in Potsdam’s cityscape. Stroll through the city with the audio tour Italy in Potsdam and discover 30 Italianate buildings and artworks, from the Nikolaikirche (St. Nicholas Church)-modeled on St. Peter’s in Rome-and the Brandenburg Gate, which was inspired by the Arch of Constantine, to the Orangery Palace in Sanssouci, whose architecture unmistakably mirrors the Villa Medici in Rome. The city tour, available in German, English and Italian, will accompany you through the city and reveal surprising visual comparisons between Potsdam and Italy.

Barberini Digital encompasses all the museum’s digital projects: From the Barberini Guide to the virtual education in the museum. Use the Barberini App to learn more about ongoing exhibitions at the Museum Barberini in Potsdam: You can explore the museum in 360° panoramas before you even enter the doors. You can see all the tours for children and adults at a glance. Select your audio guide and use the app to help you navigate your way through the museum. The app also contains all the information you need to plan your visit, as well as video interviews with curators and other experts.

The National Gallery of Rome, located in Palazzo Barberini, is probably the youngest art collection in Rome. A large number of first-class works by Italian masters of the 16th-19th centuries are collected here. The Roman gallery is housed in two buildings, one of which is Palazzo Barberini.
Palazzo Barberini was conceived as a royal residence, since it was expected that after 1625 the family of Pope Urban VIII (Barberini) would reside there. The building was erected on the territory of the former vineyard of the Sforza family - there was once a small palace (palazzetto), which in turn was built on the site of ancient buildings, in particular the Temple of Flora. The new palace, erected with true Baroque splendor, was to glorify the Barberini family, and, it must be admitted, this plan was carried out brilliantly.
Initially, the work was led by Carlo Maderno, who was replaced by Francesco Borromini, but he also had to give up this place to Gianlorenzo Bernini, who completed the construction in 1634 with the participation of Pietro da Cortona.

The huge building included the main building and two side wings, repeating the contours of the Quirinal Hill; Behind the palazzo lies a vast park. Cardinal Francesco Barberini did everything to ensure that the palace was completed on time. An important role in this was played by the financing of the construction by his uncle, Pope Urban VIII, who, without a twinge of conscience, raised taxes on his subjects in order to find the required funds, for which the people nicknamed him “the duty dad.”

Gianlorenzo Bernini. Portrait of Pope Urabian VIII. 1625

Construction proceeded rapidly. First, Borromini's architectural ideas took shape, according to whose design the windows, spiral staircase and rear facade were created. Then, according to Bernini's design, a large staircase enclosed in a square well was erected in the left wing. Bernini designed the main façade facing Via delle Quattro Fontane. Now on this side there is the main entrance and a 19th-century iron fence (architect Francesco Azzurri) with eight pillars decorated with images of Atlanteans.
On the current Via San Nicola da Tolentino, opposite the portal created according to the design of Pietro da Cortona, stables were built, and on the side of the modern Via Bernini, a theater with a Manege courtyard was erected: from here the passage built under the palazzo began, leading to the garden behind it.
All these buildings, located on the left side of the modern Piazza Barberini, no longer exist: they were demolished during the construction of Via Barberini.

Fountain of Francesco Azzurri. XIX century.

Barberini coat of arms with three bees

Borromini. Spiral staircase

Francesco Azzurri. Metal fence with eight posts. 19th century

This residence of the Barberini family, famous for its philanthropy, became a magnet for the best cultural forces of the 17th century. Among those who visited the salon were the poets Gabriello Chiabrera, Giovanni Ciampoli, the author of religious poems, and Francesco Bracciolini, who gained fame with the poem “The Wrath of the Gods.” Among the palace's regulars were scientists, historiographers and, of course, Lorenzo Bernini, who, in addition to all his other talents, also showed himself as a theater artist. Performances at the Teatro Barberini began on February 23, 1634 with the melodrama “Saint Alexius” to the music of Giulio Rospigliosi. The palace hosted musical comedies, dance parties during the carnival and wedding celebrations, as happened in 1656, when Maffeo Barberini married Olympia Giustiniani.

Pietro da Cortona. Triumph of Divine Providence. 1633-1639

Although patronage was a point of pride for the Barberini, they mainly used artists to aggrandize themselves. This was especially clearly embodied in the design of the palace, in particular its left wing, the halls of which were painted (1633-1639) with magnificent frescoes by Pietro da Cortona.
Among them, the giant ceiling of the central salon of the second floor stands out - “The Triumph of Divine Providence”, the Baroque apotheosis of the Barberini family, as indicated by the papal tiara and keys of Urban VIII depicted in the fresco, as well as the heraldic Barberini bees. Another room is decorated with a luxurious ceiling by Andrea Sacchi, “The Triumph of Divine Wisdom”: this fresco not only glorifies Barberini, but is also intended to testify to the triumph of the heliocentric theory, about which Urban VIII had frequent conversations with Galileo Galilei.
The right wing of the palace is decorated no less luxuriously, as evidenced by the Hall of Marbles, or the Hall of Statues, in which magnificent examples of classical sculpture that the Barberini collected were exhibited. This hall enjoyed particular fame, demonstrating the undeniable superiority of the Barberini over the rest of the Roman patriciate. Little of the collection has survived, for example, “Velata” by Antonio Corradini. The hall was used for banquets, and also, until the theater was built, for theatrical performances: it could accommodate up to 200 spectators.
From 1627 to 1683, a workshop for making tapestries operated in the palace. From its walls came the so-called Flemish fabrics that decorated the Baroque halls: they were made under the direction of the artist Jacopo della Riviera, whom Francesco Barberini ordered from Flanders, according to the drawings and cardboards of Pietro da Cortona, which made it possible to achieve artistic perfection.
On the top floor of the palace was the library of Cardinal Francesco, which numbered 60 thousand volumes and 10 thousand manuscripts. This library, one of the outstanding cultural monuments of the 17th century, also speaks of the intellectual needs of its owner. True, another papal nephew, Cardinal Antonio, who was distinguished by a restless and ambitious disposition, lived in the same palace. He was not inferior to another papal nephew, Taddeo, the brother of Francesco and Antonio, who had the rank of general of the papal army. He received the title of Prince Palestrina and was appointed prefect of Rome. Taddeo dishonored himself by embezzling part of the taxes collected from the Romans. By the way, the heir to the family property was Taddeo, who was chosen to continue the dynasty. However, in 1645, the brothers had to endure many anxious moments when, after the death of Urban VIII, Pope Innocent X appointed a commission to investigate the activities of the Barberini, during which all their abuses were revealed. For several years the brothers hid in France while their Roman palace was confiscated. The storm soon subsided, and, relying on the intercession of Cardinal Mazarin, they returned to Rome and received back their fortune, including the palazzo.
The Barberini dynasty maintained its blood purity until 1728, when the last of the family, Cornelia Costanza, married Giulio Cesare Colonna Sciarra, marking the beginning of the Barberini-Colonna branch. In 1893, with the marriage of the last representative of this branch, Maria, to Luigi Sacchetti, a new branch arose - Sacchetti-Barberini-Colonna.
The history of the palace reflected all the vicissitudes of fate of the family that owned it, which more than once resorted to selling their artistic treasures in order to find funds to maintain a luxurious residence. Mention should be made of the landscaping work carried out on the garden, during which a greenhouse and a fish tank were created according to the design of Giovanni Mazzoni, who had served as Barberini's gardener since 1867. In the same period, Francesco Azzurri built a fountain in the garden located opposite the palace on the side of Via delle Quattro Fontane. The fountain, erected over an octagonal pool and decorated with four mascarons and three bees, is undoubtedly the last luxury that the Barberini allowed themselves. In 1900, the library of Cardinal Francesco, as well as the furniture created by Bernini, were sold to the Vatican, and the floor where the library was located was occupied by the Italian Institute of Numismatics. The part of the park that stretched towards Via Venti Settembre was divided into plots and sold. There was once a bracchala area there; Subsequently, ministerial buildings rose in its place, and the countryside flavor of this once aristocratic quarter with its wonderful villas disappeared forever.
The crisis that befell them forced the Barberini heirs to abandon the palace. In 1935, the Finnmare shipping company acquired the old wing of the palace, which was then completely rebuilt. In 1949, the state bought the entire complex, and three years later the Barberinis sold all the paintings and various works of art they owned. The left wing houses the National Gallery of Ancient Art, which preserves its magnificent interiors; the right one was transferred to the armed forces, who located the Officers' Assembly here, which can hardly be considered a successful decision. The preservation of the architectural and artistic treasures of the palace can only be guaranteed by its complete transformation into a museum complex. Only then will the palace be able to regain its former splendor.
The gallery's art collections arose from the merger of several large private collections. It is based on the collection of Cardinal Nero Corsini, whose palace is the second part of the Roman National Gallery. The cardinal bought this palace in 1737. The best works of fine and applied art were purchased to decorate its halls and rooms, and by 1740 Corsini’s collection numbered 600 paintings. A century and a half later, princes Tommaso and Andrea Corsini donated the collection to the Italian state. Later it was replenished with the collection of Duke G. Torlonia, and 187 paintings from the Galleria del Monte di Pietà were also received here. Thus, several large collections gathered in Palazzo Corsini, so the question arose about combining them into one collection. So in 1895 the National Gallery of Ancient Art was founded. Later it became part of the National Gallery of Rome.
The Palazzo Barberini now houses a collection of paintings from before the 17th century, while the Palazzo Corsini exhibits more recent paintings.

Raphael. Fornarina

Sodom. Three Parks. 1535

Garofalo (Benvenuto Tisi). Pico turned into a woodpecker. 1480-1559

Piero di Cosimo. Mary Magdalene. 1490

Bartolomeo Veneto. Portrait of a nobleman. 1512

Hans Holbein. Portrait of Henry VIII. 1540

Agnolo Bronzino. Portrait of Stefano Colonna. 1546

Tintoretto. Christ and the sinner. 1550

Titian. Venus and Adonis. 1550

Simon Vue. Fortune teller. 1590–1649

El Greco. Baptism of Christ.1596-1600

El Greco. Adoration of the Child.1596-1600

Caravaggio. John the Baptist. 1603-1604

Caravaggio. Narcissus. 1598-99

Caravaggio. Saint Francis. 1606

Caravaggio. Judith cutting off the head of Holofernes. 1599-1600

Rubens. The Torment of Saint Sebastian. 1608

Andrea Ansaldo. Flight to Egypt. 1620

Nicolas Poussin. Bacchanalia putti. 1626

Nicolas Poussin. Hagar and the Angel. 1660

Guido Reni. Mary Magdalene. 1633

Guido Reni. Sleeping putto. 1627

Jan Cornelis Verspronck. Portrait of the bride. 1640

Guercino. Allegory of painting and sculpture. 1657

Guercino. Saul and David. 1656

In the Middle Ages, this land, with its vineyards, belonged to the Sforza family, who in 1549 ordered the construction of a small villa. Subsequently, the inherited lands passed from hand to hand, until in 1625, due to financial difficulties, Cardinal Alessandro Sforza had to sell the lands to the Barberini family. The powerful and noble Barberini family, of Tuscan origin, decided to build a prestigious and luxurious residence as a representative of their family in Rome, after Cardinal Maffeo Barberini ascended the papal throne in 1623 as Pope Urban VIII. The pope's nephew, Cardinal Francesco Barberini, who was responsible for the work, did everything to ensure that the palace was completed on time. An important role in this was played by the financing of the construction by his uncle, Pope Urban VIII, who, without a twinge of conscience, raised taxes on his subjects in order to find the required funds, for which the people nicknamed him “the duty dad.”

Construction of the Barberini Palace began in 1627 under the direction of the architect Carlo Maderno, who planned to rebuild the existing Villa Sforza into a traditional quadrangular building in the Renaissance style, in the likeness of the Farnese Palace. Moderno took young Francesco Borromini, his grandson, as his assistant. In 1629, after the death of Carlo Maderno, further work was entrusted to the young prodigy Lorenzo Bernini, who at that time was better known as a sculptor. He slightly changed the project to a less strict one, which combined both a palace and a country villa. As a result of the collaboration of the ideas of two great architects, a luxurious palace arose with two protruding side projections and a delightful park area.

The spiral staircase was created according to a design by Barromini.

The large staircase on the left wing was designed by Bernini.

The interior decoration of the palace was no less impressive. The left wing of the building is decorated with magnificent frescoes by Pietro da Cortona, who was involved in the work on the palace both as an artist and as an architect. For seven years, between 1633 and 1639. he painted the palace chapel and the first floor galleries. His best work, “The Triumph of Divine Providence,” glorifies the activities of Pope Urban VIII.

Another room is decorated with a majestic fresco by Andrea Sacchi, “The Triumph of Divine Wisdom,” also painted in honor of the pope.

The right wing of the palace was decorated no less luxuriously; it was decorated with numerous antique statues and works of ancient Roman art that belonged to the Barberini family.

On the top floor of the palace there was a library containing 60 thousand volumes and 10 thousand manuscripts, collected by the collector and highly developed intellectual Francesco Barberini.

Near the palace there was a luxurious park decorated with curly hedges, flower beds and planted with various types of trees. Deer, ostriches, camels and other exotic animals were bred in the park. Among the many interesting architectural objects of the garden was created according to the design of L. Berninia bridge in the form of a ruin that connected the Throne Room with the Secret Garden and hidden from the eyes of outsiders.

Passage leading from the garden to the palace.

According to the design of Pietro da Cortona, stables were built on the territory of the park, and a theater with a Manezhny courtyard was erected on the side of the modern Via Bernini street.

The palace became the ideal location for the new role of the prosperous Barberini family. Taddeo, son of Carlo Barberini, at the insistence of his uncle, married in 1624 Anna Colonna, who belonged to one of the most ancient Roman families, and who added to the family a substantial dowry, including the Principality of Palestrina in 1629. After this, Taddeo was declared the direct heir to numerous properties. There seems to be no end in sight to the apparent prosperity, however... Having been elected prefect of Rome at the secret council of cardinals held in 1644, Taddeo and his brothers made a lucrative deal to ensure the further well-being of their family. But in 1645, after the death of Urban VIII Barberini, Pope Innocent X Pamphilius, who came to power, refused to recognize the deal. During the ongoing investigation into financial abuses, the palace was confiscated to the papal treasury. Taddeo Barberini and his brothers were forced to flee to Paris in 1646, where they were received by Cardinal Giulio Mazarin. Taddeo's wife, Anna Colonna, appealed to Pope Innocent X, urging him to allow the family property to remain. The pope agreed, but Taddeo Barberini remained in exile until the end of his days and died in 1647 without ever seeing Rome again. The property was returned to the Bernini family in 1653. In fact, the Barberini family suffered due to its growing power and ambitious plans, which collapsed after the death of Pope Urban VII.

The final reconciliation with Pope Innocent X came after Taddeo Barberini's son Matteo married the pope's great-niece Olympia Giustiniani. Taddeo's second son, Carlo, was elevated to cardinal by the same pope.

In the photo: the facade of the palace with the papal coat of arms and the heraldry of the Barberini family - three bees.

Images of bees can be seen throughout the palace..

After the death of Pope Innocent X in early 1655, the Barberini re-emerged onto the political scene. One of the significant events of those years for the palace and its owners was a grandiose costume carnival organized on the occasion of the arrival of Queen Christina of Sweden in Rome. To view this colorful performance, a special platform costing seven thousand escudos was built at the back of the palace. At the same time, several neighboring buildings had to be demolished to make way for construction. The tribune was intended for representatives of the papal court and the nobility. The spectacle consisted of a series of scenes from mythological allegories, in which the characters were dressed in bright and colorful costumes, accompanied by horses and intricate chariots.

And from 1627 to 1683, on the initiative of Cardinal Francesco Barberini, a tapestry production workshop operated in the palace under the direction of the Flemish artist Jacopo della Riviera.

The palace continued to flourish in the 18th century and this was facilitated by the marriage of Cornelia Constanza Barberini with Giulio Cesare Colonna in 1728, which strengthened the status and power of the family. During this period, some of the rooms acquired a new luxurious interior.

In the future, fate was not always favorable to the palace. Repeatedly, the family had to sell off family valuables to maintain an overly luxurious residence.

The only significant innovation in the palace ensemble was the fence and gates installed in 1865 along the Street of Four Fountains. Spectacular sculptures of Atlases and lantern consoles in the form of dragons were created by sculptor A. Tadolini according to a design by the architect Azzurri, presented back in 1848.

Mention should also be made of the landscaping work carried out on the garden, during which a greenhouse and a fish tank were created according to the design of Giovanni Mazzoni, who had served as Barberini's gardener since 1867.

In the same period, Francesco Azzurri designed a fountain decorated with mask sculptures and bees, and this was the last thing the Barberini family could afford.

In 1900, Cardinal Francesco's library, along with furniture created from Bernini's drawings, was sold to the Vatican, and the floor where the library was located was occupied by the Italian Institute of Numismatics. The part of the park that stretched towards Via XX September was divided into plots and sold. There was once a brachchala playground there. Subsequently, ministerial buildings rose on this section of the park, and the countryside flavor of this once aristocratic quarter with its wonderful villas disappeared forever. And during the construction of Barberini Street, the stables and theater of the palace were demolished.

The difficult financial situation of the family's heirs led to the fact that in the 1930s, part of the old wing of the palace was sold to the Finmare shipping company, and some of the rooms were rented out under a long-term lease agreement for the officers' club of the Italian Armed Forces.

The financial crisis that befell them forced the Barberini heirs to finally abandon the palace. In 1949, the state bought the entire complex for 600 million lire. Three years later, Maria Barberini, who continued to occupy part of the palace rooms until her death, sold all the paintings and other works of art that belonged to her, some of which were bought up by American nouveau riche.

Part of the right wing continued to remain subordinate to the officers' club; in the left wing of the palace, the state located the National Gallery of Ancient Art, which preserved its magnificent interiors. The unsurpassed masterpieces of this collection today are the paintings of Filippo Lippi, Perugino, Bronzino, Tintoretto, Guido Reni, and Guercino. Among the masterpieces are paintings such as "Fornarina" by Raphael and "Judith and Holofernes" by Caravaggio.

The good news on my last visit to the palace was this fact: the restoration of Palazzo Barberini was completed in 2011; work on restoring the building lasted about five years and cost about 15 million euros. One of the important results of the restoration was the move from the building of the officers' club, which occupied several rooms in the palazzo. After restoration, the second floor was opened in the palazzo, and the gallery was replenished with ten new rooms. Thus, the total number of rooms in the gallery has reached 34. They house more than one and a half thousand works of art.

Another very recent good news was the opening for public access from November 2014, albeit by appointment, of the exquisite rooms of Princess Cornelia Constanza Barberini (1716-1796). These rooms remained inhabited by the heirs of the Barberini family until 1955, and miraculously preserved their interior.

And finally, a few more photographs of the palace interior.

A couple more fountains of the palace.

Text - SPRATO

Palazzo Barberini(Italian: Palazzo Barberini) is a historical palace, the family residence of the influential Barberini family. Today the palace houses an art gallery, which exhibits paintings by such famous masters of painting as El Greco, Raphael, Caravaggio, Titian, Holbein, Reni and many others. Administratively, the gallery in Palazzo Barberini is part of the National Gallery of Ancient Art.

History of the Barberini family

In the 11th century, the Barberini family, very rich and influential, settled in Florence. One of the representatives of this family, Raphael Barberini, visited Moscow on a private visit in 1564 with a letter of recommendation to Ivan the Terrible from Queen Elizabeth of England, with an offer to assist in establishing commercial ties. At the request of Cardinal Amelio and Count Nogarola, Raphael Barberini gave a detailed description of everything he saw in Moscow on the pages of his manuscript “Report on Muscovy by Raphael Barberini to Count Nogarola, Antwerp, October 16, 1565,” which is still kept in the Barberini Library.

Pope Urban VIII

The most significant contribution to the exaltation of the family was made by Maffeo Barberini, Pope under the name Urban VIII. His nephews Francesco and Antonio became cardinals, and another, Taddeo, received the title of Prince of Palestrina, an appointment as a general in the papal army and the post of prefect of Rome. However, in 1645, after the death of Urban VIII, difficult times came for the family. The new Pope Innocent X, having irrefutable evidence, accused representatives of the Barberini family of numerous abuses and fraud with funds received from tax collection. For some time, the Barberini had to hide in France, until the intercession of Cardinal Mazarin helped them return to Rome, where they received back all their confiscated property. In the middle of the 18th century, the male line of the Barberini family was cut short. The last of the once powerful family, Princess Cornelia Barberini (1716–1797), married Giulio Cesare Colonna, marking the beginning of the Barberini-Colonna branch.

History of Palazzo Barberini

In 1625, Pope Urban VIII purchased a plot of land on Quirinal Hill and planned to build his residence there. Palazzo Barberini was built on the site of the former mansion and vineyards of the Sforzo family. In ancient times, ancient temples were located here, in particular the Temple of Flora.

Construction of the palazzo has begun in 1627 under the leadership of the architect Carlo Moderna, who, inspired by the model of the Farnese Palace, initially created a design for a quadrangular traditional building in the spirit of the Renaissance. However, in the final version, agreed with the pontiff, he approved the design of a building of complex structure, with wings on both sides that follow the contours of the Quirinale hill. In 1629, after death Carlo Moderna The architect began to work on the construction of the palazzo Giovanni Bernini with the participation of Pietro da Cortona. Grandson Carlo also took part in the construction - young Francesco Borromini, who, in addition to one spiral staircase, designed the rear façade of the building and its windows. By joint efforts, the construction of the pompous palazzo was already completed in 1633.

Pontiff Urban VIII was brought up in the spirit of humanistic ideas that reigned in art at that time. This was manifested in his philanthropic activities, which he continued especially generously during his time on the papal throne (1623–1644). At this time, the Barberini residence became a kind of salon where famous and talented poets, scientists, artists and sculptors gathered.

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For several years, within the walls of the palazzo there was a workshop where tapestries for the palace were made. Sketches for fabric designs were personally developed by Pietro da Cortona, and the Flemish masters were led by the artist Jacopo della Riviera. The last floor of the building was given over to the extensive library of Francesco Barberini, which contained about 60 thousand printed volumes and 10 thousand manuscripts.

The main façade, facing the Street of Four Fountains (Via delle Quattro Fontane), was designed by Bernini; Currently, on this side there is a magnificent 19th-century front gate and fence with eight pillars decorated with images of Atlanteans, the work of the architect Francesco Azzurri.

Inside the palazzo you can see two beautiful spiral staircases by Bernini and Borromini respectively. Initially, there were several other buildings on the territory of the palazzo that have not survived to this day (large stables, a theater and a manege courtyard were demolished during the construction of Barberini Street).

The history of the palace is closely connected with the history of the Barberini family. In difficult times, in order to adequately maintain the palazzo, many of its treasures were sold. For example, in 1900, Cardinal Francesco's library, as well as Bernini's antique furniture, were purchased by the Vatican. Subsequently, the park area of ​​the palazzo was divided into plots and sold for the development of ministerial buildings. Beginning in 1949, the Barberini Palace and all its furnishings and works of art were sold entirely to the state. As a result, part of the National Gallery of Ancient Art was placed in the left wing of the building, and the right wing was given to the armed forces, who housed the Officers' Assembly here, which can hardly be considered a good decision for a landmark of high historical value.

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