Uffizi Gallery (Galleria degli Uffizi)
The Uffizi Gallery in Florence is one of the most visited art museums in the world. It houses unique works of art: paintings by artists from the Middle Ages to the present day, perfectly preserved ancient sculptures, tapestries and miniatures.
Video: Uffizi Gallery
” title=”YouTube video player” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” allowfullscreen> Contents- Highlights
- How the famous gallery came to be
Collections and most famous exhibits of the Uffizi Gallery - Useful information for visitors
- How to get there
Highlights
The history of the world-famous art collection began in 1560, when the Italian painter and architect Giorgio Vasari built a large palace at the request of the Grand Duke of Tuscany Cosimodo I, who ruled Florence. The majestic building had two wings and housed the judicial and administrative offices of the Tuscan magistracy, the Uffizi (offices). In addition to uniting in one place all government offices (thirteen ministries), the Grand Duke solved another problem. He wanted the new palace complex to immortalize the power and wealth of his family.
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Five years later, within a few months, the talented architect constructed an “air passage” that connected the Uffizi Palace, the new residence of the Medici rulers, Florence’s oldest bridge, the Ponte Vecchia, and the ancient Roman Catholic church of St. Felizata. The covered gallery was 750 meters long. It was an architectural innovation and became known as Vasari’s corridor.
.The Medici family was famous not only for its wealth and political influence. Its members highly valued works of art and gave maximum support to talented artists. The first collection of the Uffizi Gallery was created by Francesco I, son of Duke Cosimodo I. The paintings from his personal collection were first hung in the Duke’s study, and in 1581 the entire upper floor of the palace was given over to them. The gallery was covered with wide stained glass windows. In addition to paintings, there were ancient sculptures inside, and the ceiling was decorated with colorful frescoes.
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Later, the unusual Hall of the Tribune was created here, which was covered by an octagonal dome. A lantern illuminated the artwork placed inside, the artfully crafted furniture, and the shell-encrusted walls.
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Since 1589, by order of Francesco I’s brother, Grand Duke Ferdinand I, the terrace adjacent to the Salle Tribuna was closed for the Hall of Geographical Maps. On the other wing of the Uffizi Gallery, hanging gardens existed in those days. A luxurious theater was also opened inside the palace.
.The final construction work on the palace structures was completed 20 years later, already after Cosimodo I’s death. In the Piazza della Signoria appeared a large palace building that resembled the shape of the letter “U”. It consisted of two buildings. One of the floors had loggias. Both buildings were connected by a third building and a long arcade, overlooking the Arno embankment. Gradually paintings and sculptures from other palaces of the Medici dynasty were moved to the Florentine gallery.
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Collections and most famous exhibits of the Uffizi Gallery
From the entrance, the museum halls are accessed through three lobbies. One contains busts carved in marble and porphyry. Another is decorated by the Italian artist Giovanni Manozzi (Giovanni da San Giovanni). The third lobby contains sarcophagi and statues from the Ancient Roman era.
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The third floor of the building is dedicated to an art gallery. In addition to it, the palace houses rare documents on the history of Florence, and you can also see the Cabinet of drawings and engravings. Its unique collection began to take shape in the 17th century, thanks to Cardinal Leopold de’ Medici.
.The Uffizi Gallery features world-famous paintings by Sandro Botticelli: The Birth of Venus, Spring, Madonna and Child with an Angel, and Slander. Halls 10-14 are dedicated to the works of the Italian painter and friend of the Medici family.
.Hall 15 exhibits two paintings by Leonardo da Vinci – “The Annunciation” and “Adoration of the Magi”. Other halls of the museum exhibit Titian’s “Venus of Urbino” and Verrocchio’s “Baptism of Christ.”
Room 25 of the Uffizi Gallery presents visitors with the young Michelangelo Buonarroti’s masterpiece The Holy Family. It is a circular painting made in the popular at that time technique of cangiante, when the forms of human bodies were rendered with sculptural expressiveness. Part of the gallery’s space is reserved for works by foreign masters of painting. In these halls you can see paintings by Dürer, Goya, El Greco, Velázquez, Rubens, Rembrandt and Van Dyck.
.Vasari’s famous air corridor contains about 1,500 paintings. These are self-portraits by Raphael, Rubens, Diego Velasquez, Giorgio Vasari and other artists. Among Russian painters there are self-portraits by Boris Kustodiev, Ivan Aivazovsky, Orest Kiprensky and Viktor Ivanov. The collection of self-portraits is constantly replenished through purchases and donations. The opportunity to exhibit a self-portrait in the Uffizi Gallery is an honor for all artists.
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Of the sculptures kept in the museum, the statue “Venus de Medici” deserves special attention. It was created in the first century AD by an unknown author. Recently, scientists have conducted a study of the sculpture and found that it was previously painted. The woman’s lips were covered with scarlet paint and her hair with gold paint. The sculpture, exhibited in Florence, is a copy of the famous statue of the ancient Greek sculptor Praxiteles, which he created in the IV century BC. It depicted Aphrodite of Cnidus, and Praxiteles posed the Athenian hetaera Frina, who was known for her beauty. Pliny called this work of the famous sculptor the most beautiful statue on Earth.
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Useful information for visitors
The museum collections of the Uffizi Gallery are open to the public daily, except Monday, from 8.15 to 18.50. Ticket offices close 40 minutes before closing time. The gallery is not open on December 25, January 1, and May 1.
A full ticket costs 8 euros, a discounted ticket costs 4 euros. To avoid wasting time in line, a ticket to the Uffizi Gallery can be reserved by calling 55-294-883, paying an additional 4 euros for the reservation. It is more convenient to plan a visit to the museum after 2 p.m., as in the afternoon the gallery no longer conducts tours for school groups.
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On the first floor you can take an audio guide in Russian. In addition to the exhibition halls, the Uffizi Gallery houses a library, a café and a book salon.
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How to get there
The Uffizi Gallery is located at Piazzale degli Uffizi, 6. It occupies the area between Piazza della Signoria and the ancient bridge over the Arno, the Ponte Vecchio. From the city center it is not difficult to reach it on foot. If you take public transportation, take the C1 line to the Galleria Degli Uffizi – Farmacia Logge bus stop.
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