Uffizi Gallery

The gallery is located in a majestic building designed by Giorgio Vasari specifically for the representatives of the Medici dynasty. Cosimo I de' Medici decided to house all of Florence's governmental institutions under one roof, with another equally important goal in mind — to immortalize the greatness and wealth of his famous lineage in this grand and luxurious palace.

Construction began in 1560 and was only completed twenty years later, after the death of Cosimo I. This required the demolition of ancient quarters; the stone walls of medieval houses were widely used in the construction of the new palace.

One of the country's most impressive museums is located on the Piazza della Signoria in the shape of the letter "U", surrounded by hanging gardens, a theater, and an art gallery. The building is adorned with a bust of Francesco I de Medici and includes the Vasari staircase.

Decades after construction began, the Medici family transferred their unique collection of paintings and sculptures, gathered from around the world, to this location. It was to Florence that the representatives of this great dynasty moved all their art masterpieces.

Today, the art collections are housed in an area of 13,000 m². It is one of the most visited attractions in Italy.

The artworks are displayed in chronological order and occupy more than fifty rooms. Walking through them, one can trace how painting traditions changed from the 13th to the 18th century, from the Byzantine Empire period to the Baroque heyday. From the museum's entrance, one can access the exhibition halls through three vestibules. One of them features busts carved from marble and porphyry. Another is adorned by the Italian painter Giovanni da San Giovanni. In the third vestibule, there are sarcophagi and statues from the Ancient Roman era.

The third floor of the building is dedicated to the art gallery. Besides, the palace houses rare documents on the history of Florence and a Cabinet of Drawings and Prints with its unique collection that began to be formed in the 17th century, thanks to Cardinal Leopoldo Medici.

The Uffizi Gallery displays world-famous canvases by Sandro Botticelli: "The Birth of Venus", "Spring", "Madonna and Child with an Angel", and "The Calumny of Apelles". Rooms №10-14 are dedicated to the work of the Italian painter and friend of the Medici family.

Room №15 exhibits two paintings by Leonardo da Vinci – "The Annunciation" and "Adoration of the Magi". Other museum rooms feature Titian's "Venus of Urbino" and Verrocchio's "The Baptism of Christ".

Room №25 of the Uffizi Gallery presents a masterpiece by the young Michelangelo Buonarroti, "The Holy Family". This round painting was done in the popular technique of the time, tondo, where human forms are rendered with sculptural expressiveness. Part of the gallery's space is dedicated to works by foreign masters of painting. In these rooms, one can see paintings by Dürer, Goya, El Greco, Velázquez, Rubens, Rembrandt, and Van Dyck.

The famous Vasari Corridor houses about 1500 paintings. These include self-portraits by Raphael, Rubens, Diego Velázquez, Giorgio Vasari, and other artists. From Russian painters, self-portraits by Boris Kustodiev, Ivan Aivazovsky, Orest Kiprensky, and Viktor Ivanov are exhibited. The collection of self-portraits is constantly being expanded through purchases and donations. The opportunity to have one's self-portrait exhibited in the Uffizi Gallery is considered a great honor by all artists.

Among the sculptures kept in the museum, the "Venus de' Medici" statue deserves special attention. It was created in the 1st century AD by an unknown author. Scientists recently conducted research on the sculpture and discovered that it was originally painted. The sculpture displayed in Florence is a copy of the famous statue by the ancient Greek sculptor Praxiteles, created in the 4th century BC. It depicted Aphrodite of Knidos, and the famous Athenian courtesan Phryne posed for Praxiteles.