A monumental Baroque palace built for the Barberini family, its interior crowned by Pietro da Cortona's spectacular ceiling fresco 'The Triumph of Divine Providence'. The Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica housed inside displays major works by Raphael, Caravaggio and Holbein, including Raphael's 'La Fornarina'.
Palazzo Barberini is one of Rome's grandest Baroque palaces, built in the 1620s and 1630s for Pope Urban VIII's family with the combined talents of Carlo Maderno, Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Francesco Borromini, whose architectural rivalry produced two contrasting staircases: Bernini's grand rectangular flight and Borromini's dizzying oval spiral, both open to visitors. The palace's showpiece is the vast salone on the piano nobile, ceilinged with Pietro da Cortona's overwhelming fresco 'The Triumph of Divine Providence', painted between 1633 and 1639, an explosion of allegorical figures swirling around the Barberini family's heraldic bees that is among the finest illusionistic ceilings in Italy. The palace now houses part of the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica, Italy's national collection of pre-19th-century art, with rooms devoted to Raphael, whose sensuous late portrait 'La Fornarina' is a highlight, alongside Hans Holbein the Younger's iconic portrait of Henry VIII, El Greco, and Caravaggio's dramatic 'Judith Beheading Holofernes' and 'Narcissus'. Additional rooms preserve period furnishings and a small collection of historic musical instruments and porcelain. A thorough visit takes about 90 minutes to two hours. A single ticket also grants entry within 20 days to the collection's second site, Palazzo Corsini in Trastevere. The palace sits a short walk from the Barberini metro station on Line A, making it an easy add-on to a visit of the nearby Trevi Fountain or Via Veneto. Weekday mornings offer the quietest visit to this less-crowded but exceptionally rich collection.
| Admission | Adult €15 (~$16 USD) · Child Free under 18 |
|---|---|
| Hours | 10AM-7PM Tue-Sun (closed Mondays) |
| Typical visit | 1.5-2 hours |
| Best time | Weekday mornings |
| Address | Via delle Quattro Fontane 13, 00184 Roma |
Good to know
- Best for
- art lovers, architecture lovers, culture seekers
Weather through the year in Lazio
Best time Shoulder Worth avoiding
Average daytime temperature in °C. Figures are for Lazio.
Location
Via delle Quattro Fontane 13, 00184 Roma
41.9047, 12.4881 View on map
Highlights
- Stand beneath Pietro da Cortona's Triumph of Divine Providence ceiling
- Compare Bernini's and Borromini's rival staircases in one building
- See Raphael's late portrait La Fornarina
- View Holbein's iconic portrait of King Henry VIII
- See Caravaggio's Judith Beheading Holofernes
Tips for visiting
- Ticket also covers Palazzo Corsini within 20 days
- Don't skip the grand spiral staircase designed by Borromini
- Metro Barberini (Line A) is a short walk away
When to visit
Visit on a weekday morning for a quiet, uncrowded experience, since this collection sees far fewer visitors than the Vatican or Borghese. Any season suits an indoor gallery visit equally well.
Accessibility
Palazzo Barberini has lift access to the main exhibition floors and accessible toilets, making most of the collection reachable by wheelchair, though the historic Borromini spiral staircase itself is not step-free and is viewed rather than climbed by those with mobility limitations.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a visit to Palazzo Barberini take?
Around 90 minutes to two hours covers the main galleries, the grand salone and both historic staircases at a comfortable pace.
Does the ticket cover anything else?
Yes, the same ticket also grants entry to Palazzo Corsini in Trastevere, the collection's second site, within 20 days of purchase.
Is photography allowed?
Photography without flash is generally permitted in the galleries, including of the Cortona ceiling fresco in the main salone, one of the most photographed sights in the palace.