Palazzo Barberini Palace
Baroque palace in Rome housing national art collection
A 17th‑century Roman palace, Palazzo Barberini houses the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica with works by Caravaggio, Raphael and Bernini; visitors go for Baroque art, frescoes and period interiors.
Palazzo Barberini at a Glance#
Address: Via delle Quattro Fontane 13, 00184 Rome, Italy
Website: https://palazzobarberini.beniculturali.it/
Hours: Tue-Sun 9:00am-7:00pm, closed Mondays (hours may vary seasonally)
Admission: General admission around €10-€12 for adults (Italian national museum pricing may vary); discounts for EU citizens, students, and children.
About Palazzo Barberini#
Palazzo Barberini is a 17th-century Baroque palace in Rome built for the Barberini family and now home to the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Antica. The palace is notable for its grand Baroque architecture and interior decoration.
The site is visited for the palace architecture and its national gallery collection, which presents significant works of Italian art from the Renaissance and Baroque periods. The central salon contains a major fresco by Pietro da Cortona that dominates the interior scheme.
Construction began in the early 1600s under architects including Carlo Maderno, with contributions by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Francesco Borromini, commissioned by the Barberini papal family. Over time the building transitioned from a private palace to a public museum housing the national collection.
Palazzo Barberini sits near Piazza Barberini in central Rome and is part of the city’s dense historical core of palaces, churches and state galleries.
- Architects: Construction began in the early 17th century for the Barberini family and involved architects including Carlo Maderno, Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Francesco Borromini.
- Collection highlight: The palace houses the national gallery of older Italian paintings and features a major Baroque ceiling fresco by Pietro da Cortona in the main salon.
What to See#
- Grand Salone: The palace’s main central salon features a large Baroque ceiling fresco by Pietro da Cortona and functions as the architectural focal point of the interior.
- Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Antica: The Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Antica occupies the palace and displays paintings and decorative arts from the 13th to 18th centuries.
- Courtyards and façades: Formal courtyards and external façades combine 17th-century Baroque architecture with later museum adaptations.
How to Get to Palazzo Barberini#
The palace is near the Quirinale and Barberini metro (Line A). Several bus lines stop nearby on Via Veneto and Via Nazionale; a short walk from many central attractions.
Tips for Visiting Palazzo Barberini#
- See the ceiling of Guido Reni's Salone-a fresco that often surprises visitors by scale and colour.
- Combine a visit with nearby Barberini gardens and the Quirinale for a full Baroque walking circuit.
- Buy tickets online to avoid queues, especially in summer.
Best Time to Visit Palazzo Barberini#
Spring and autumn are ideal for pairing indoor art visits with comfortable walking weather around Rome.
Weather & Climate near Palazzo Barberini#
Palazzo Barberini's climate is classified as Hot-Summer Mediterranean - Hot-Summer Mediterranean climate with warm summers (peaking in August) and cold winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from 4°C to 30°C. Moderate rainfall (684 mm/year).
| Month | Comfort | Temp | Feels | Rain | Sky | Humidity | Wind | UV | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Acceptable | 4° - 12° | 7° | 70 mm | partly cloudy | 81% | 1.9 m/s | 0.2 low | 9.4h |
| February | Good | 4° - 13° | 8° | 65 mm | partly cloudy | 79% | 2.1 m/s | 0.4 low | 10.5h |
| March | Very Good | 6° - 15° | 11° | 57 mm | partly cloudy | 76% | 2.4 m/s | 0.7 moderate | 11.8h |
| April | Very Good | 8° - 18° | 13° | 56 mm | partly cloudy | 72% | 2.5 m/s | 1.2 high | 13.2h |
| May | Excellent | 12° - 23° | 18° | 40 mm | some cloud | 68% | 2.1 m/s | 1.7 very high | 14.4h |
| June | Ideal | 16° - 27° | 22° | 29 mm | mostly sunny | 62% | 2.2 m/s | 2.1 extreme | 15.0h |
| July | Ideal | 19° - 30° | 24° | 15 mm | clear | 55% | 2.3 m/s | 2.2 extreme | 14.7h |
| August | Ideal | 19° - 30° | 25° | 32 mm | clear | 55% | 2.2 m/s | 1.8 very high | 13.7h |
| September | Excellent | 16° - 26° | 21° | 62 mm | mostly sunny | 64% | 2.0 m/s | 1.2 high | 12.3h |
| October | Very Good | 12° - 22° | 17° | 85 mm | some cloud | 73% | 1.8 m/s | 0.7 moderate | 11.0h |
| November | Good | 8° - 16° | 12° | 93 mm | partly cloudy | 80% | 1.9 m/s | 0.3 low | 9.7h |
| December | Acceptable | 5° - 13° | 8° | 80 mm | partly cloudy | 81% | 2.1 m/s | 0.2 low | 9.1h |
