Italy

One of the most remarkable buildings of Venice, the Doge’s Palace is situated in the Piazzetta between San Marco and the Grand Canal. Doge’s Palace History The Doge’s Palace was rebuilt and remodeled repeatedly during its history, as is reflected in its mixture of Byzantine, Gothic, and Renaissance features. The present building, constructed largely in […]

Villa Medici History Villa Medicea di Poggio a Caiano is an Italian villa situated about 20 km northwest of Florence, near Prato. It is one of the few 15th-century villas surrounding Florence to survive the Spanish siege of 1529, it was designed for Lorenzo di Medici by Giuliano da Sangallo and begun in 1485. Only

The Uffizi Palace – Palazzo degli Uffizi Houses – the greatest collection of Florentine art and the State archives of Tuscany. Cosimo I de Medici in 1559 commissioned the court architect, Giorgio Vasari, to design the palace, intending that it should house the public offices of the State, hence the name Uffizi, meaning offices. Uffizi

Originally known as the Palazzo dei Priori and later as the Palazzo della Signoria and Palazzo Ducale, the 13th-century Palazzo Vecchio was built to house the Priori, the leaders of the guilds, following the establishment of the popular government in 1283. The site was probably chosen because of its proximity to their previous meeting place,

One of the largest palaces in Florence, the Pitti Palace (Palazzo Pitti) is laid out on the slopes of Boboli Hill, south of the Arno. It now houses the Galleria Palatina, the Galleria d’Arte Moderna, the Museo degli Argenti, and other collections. Pitti Palace History The palace was commissioned by Luca Pitti, who had owned

Buonconsiglio Castle (Castello del Buonconsiglio) is a vast monumental complex built between the north and east gates of the ancient city walls (around 1200–1220) of Trent, the capital of Trentino province in Italy. It has three main points: the Castelvecchio, the Magno Palazzo, and the Giunta Albertina. Castello del Buonconsiglio History The oldest part, Castelvecchio,

Castello Ursino History The Ursino Castle was built on the initiative of Emperor Frederick II as part of his plan for fortifying the Sicilian coast. In 1669 an eruption of Mount Etna changed the topography of the surrounding area, so it is difficult to establish the castle’s original setting with precision. Clearly, however, it stood

History of Villa Farnese Villa Farnese is an Italian estate near Viterbo, around 55 km northwest of Rome. It stands on a hilltop site overlooking the medieval village of Caprarola and was built for Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, grandson of Pope Paul III, by Jacopo Vignola and his successors from 1557 to 1583. The interior contains

Villa Albani – Brief History In 1746 Cardinal Alessandro Albani acquired a vineyard between the Via Nomentana and the Via Salaria, with the intention of providing a suitable setting for his collection of ancient sculptures. From 1758 he was assisted in this collection by his librarian, the antiquary and Neo-classical theorist Johann Joachim Winckelmann. Carlo

Farnese Palace History Standing on the Piazza Farnese, the Palazzo Farnese is the most important 16th-century palace in Rome. In 1495 Cardinal Alessandro Farnese bought a small house from the Augustinian monks of S Maria del Popolo, and from 1514 to 1516 it was restored by Antonio da Sangallo, who was later to direct its

Palazzo della Cancelleria History Built between 1485–1511 as the palace of Cardinal Raffaele Riario, the Palazzo della Cancelleria was later used as the offices of the papal chancery and, under Napoleon, as law courts. It stands on the Piazza della Cancelleria and is now the residence of the Cardinal-Vicar of Rome. The palace is one

The Palace of Quirinale is a grand structure standing on the northwest slope of the Quirinal, the highest hill in Rome. It was the principal summer palace of the pope from 1592 to 1870 and the residence of the monarch from 1870 to 1947; it has been the official residence of the Italian president since

The Barberini Palace History Planning for a new family palace began soon after the election of the Barberini pope, Urban VIII, on 6 August 1623. After extended negotiations, the suburban site, on the north slope of Quirinal Hill, was purchased from Alessandro Sforza on 18 December 1625. It included a palace of modest size, partly

The Royal Palace of Caserta (Reggia di Caserta) is a large 18th-century palazzo situated in the Italian town of Caserta, the successor of ancient and medieval Capua. The town is the capital of a province of the Campania region and is situated 28 km from Naples. Its growth dates from the 19th century. Reggia di

Castel del Monte is a castle in Puglia, southern Italy. The castle stands isolated in an elevated position on the low plateau, the Murge, between Corato and Andria. Its name is derived from that of S Maria del Monte, the church of the nearby Benedictine monastery. Castel del Monte History Castel del Monte is the