Galleria Colonna: serene grandeur away from the hustle of piazza Venezia

The historic Palazzo Colonna near the central piazza Venezia, a noble palace still belonging to one of the most important families in the history of Rome, shields a rare princely collection of invaluable art still in its original location.

Circle of Maarten van Heemskerck, The Colonna "loggia" at the Quirinal, 1534 - 1536

Circle of Maarten van Heemskerck, The Colonna "loggia" at the Quirinal, 1534 - 1536, drawing, Düsseldorf, Kunstmuseum, Kupferstich- Kabinett. The Colonna residence grew from previous remains, which included the ancient ruins identifiable with a Roman temple dedicated to the Sun or Serapis on the slopes of the Quirinal Hill.

Since the Middle Ages and over the centuries, various buildings belonging to the Colonna family developed in the area on the slopes of the Quirinal Hill, until an ambitious architectural project in the 17th century brought to the building of an imposing palace composed of several structures, designed by renowned architects such as Antonio Del Grande, Girolamo Fontana, Nicola Michetti, Paolo Posi, Girolamo Rainaldi and Carlo Fontana.

Palazzo Colonna, engraving from G. Vasi and G. Bianchini, Delle magnificenze di Roma antica e moderna libro quarto, 1754

Palazzo Colonna, engraving from G. Vasi and G. Bianchini, Delle magnificenze di Roma antica e moderna libro quarto [...], Rome, 1754, plate 63.

Entrance to Galleria Colonna, via della Pilotta 17, Rome

Entrance to Galleria Colonna, via della Pilotta 17, Rome. The present entrance to the gallery is located in via della Pilotta passing behind the basilica dei Santi Apostoli, which corresponded to part of the ancient via Biberatica.

Attributed to Jacopo Bighi, Portrait of the cardinal Girolamo Colonna

Attributed to Jacopo Bighi, Portrait of the cardinal Girolamo Colonna, oil on canvas (67 x 53.5) cm, private collection.

A marvelous sequence of halls is unveiled inwards, where paintings are hung up in multiple levels to fill up the walls of the opulent interiors, adorned with murals, collections of antiquities, precious marbles and furniture. The most breathtaking space is the Grande Galleria or Sala Grande (Grand Hall) commissioned by Lorenzo Onofrio Colonna to the architect Antonio del Grande between 1661 and 1665 within the proper Galleria Colonna area, probably following a project by his uncle, the cardinal Girolamo Colonna (Orsogna, 1604 – Finale Ligure, 1666), intended to show the rich collection of art belonging to the Colonna family, still visible there. Therefore, one of the rarest experience is still possible at the Galleria Colonna: to appreciate the art treasures in their original setting like its aristocratic collectors, listening to the everlasting dialogue between the artworks and their historic palace.

You find it here

Opening time: every Saturday morning 9.00 am - 1.15 pm (last entrance). All the other days the Galleria Colonna is accessible for private tours upon previous reservation.

Tickets: 10.00€ - 12.00€ (the apartments of princess Isabelle are accessible with an extra ticket of 15.00€)

Organization: Galleria Colonna s.r.l.

Director: Patrizia Piergiovanni

Website

Jacob Ferdinand Voet, Portrait of Lorenzo Onofrio Colonna, ca. 1684-1689

Jacob Ferdinand Voet, Portrait of Lorenzo Onofrio Colonna, ca. 1684-1689, oil on canvas (74,9 x 61) cm, London, Walpole Gallery.

Franz and Dominikus Steinhart, following a project by Carlo Fontana, Chest made of ebony and ivory (detail of the central plate reproducint the Last Judgment by Michelangelo Buonarroti, 17th century, Sala dei Paesaggi

Franz and Dominikus Steinhart, following a project by Carlo Fontana, Chest made of ebony and ivory (detail of the central plate reproducint the Last Judgment by Michelangelo Buonarroti, 17th century, Sala dei Paesaggi, Galleria Colonna, Rome.

Franz and Dominikus Steinhart, following a project by Carlo Fontana, Chest made of ebony and ivory, 17th century, Sala dei Paesaggi

Franz and Dominikus Steinhart, following a project by Carlo Fontana, Chest made of ebony and ivory, 17th century, Sala dei Paesaggi, Galleria Colonna, Rome.

Manufacture from Bruxelles, Tapestry representing court scenes, beginning of the 16th century, Sala dell'Arazzo

Manufacture from Bruxelles, Tapestry representing court scenes, beginning of the 16th century, Sala dell'Arazzo, Galleria Colonna, Rome.

Entrance courtyard, Palazzo Colonna, Rome

Entrance courtyard, Palazzo Colonna, Rome.

Annibale Carracci, The Beaneater (Italian: Il mangiafagioli) ca. 1583-1585, Sala dell'Apoteosi di Martino V, Galleria Colonna

Annibale Carracci, The Beaneater (Italian: Il mangiafagioli) ca. 1583-1585, Sala dell'Apoteosi di Martino V, Galleria Colonna, Rome.

Grande Galleria, Palazzo Colonna, Rome‬

Grande Galleria, Palazzo Colonna, Rome‬. The architectural works at the gallery were commissioned by Lorenzo Onofrio (1637-1689) to the architect Antonio del Grande between 1661-1665.

Giovanni Coli and Filippo Gherardi, Commemorative frescoes dedicated to Marcantonio II Colonna, protagonist of the Christian victory at the Battle of Lepanto, 17th century

Giovanni Coli and Filippo Gherardi, Commemorative frescoes dedicated to Marcantonio II Colonna, protagonist of the Christian victory at the Battle of Lepanto, 1675-1678, Grande Galleria, Palazzo Colonna, Rome.

Carlo Maratta and Giovanni Stanchi, Mirror painted with a garland of flowers and four putti, ca. 1660s, Grande Galleria, Palazzo Colonna

Carlo Maratta and Giovanni Stanchi, Mirror painted with a garland of flowers and four putti, ca. 1660s, Grande Galleria, Palazzo Colonna, Rome‬.

Copy of Antonio Pisani, called Pisanello, Portrait of pope Martino V, born Oddone Colonna (Genazzano, 1368 - Rome, 1431), 15th century, Sala del Trono

Copy of Antonio Pisani, called Pisanello, Portrait of pope Martino V, born Oddone Colonna (Genazzano, 1368 - Rome, 1431), 15th century, Sala del Trono, Galleria Colonna, Rome.

Grande Galleria, Palazzo Colonna, Rome‬

Grande Galleria, Palazzo Colonna, Rome‬.

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