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Palazzo Pitti, Florence

1 Piazza de' Pitti, Firenze, Toscana

Description

The Palazzo Pitti is the largest museum complex in Florence. The original building, the residence of Luca Pitti, dates from the mid-15th century but it expanded dramatically after being bought by the Medici family in 1549 to serve as the chief residence of the ruling families of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. It was complemented by what is now known as the Boboli Gardens. The main highlight is the Palatine Gallery with its 500 paintings (incl. works by Titian, Raphael and Rubens). The other collections are the Treasury of the Grand Dukes (silver artwork, cameos and works in semi-precious gemstones) and the Gallery of Modern Art (a misnomer today as it contains art from the 18th to the 20th centuries).

Access & Transport

The palace is 300m south of the Ponte Vecchio. Buses C3 and C4 stop next to the entrance.

Instructions & Recommendations

At the time of this review update, the Imperial Apartments and the Museum of Costume and Fashion were still closed for renovation. There exists a combined ticket for Uffizi, Pitti Palace, and the Boboli Gardens valid over 5 consecutive days.

Meta review

A must see listed in travel guides but online reviews in travel portals are surprisingly mixed. The exterior is described as massive and sobre, belying the wealth of art inside, so far so good... the flow and curation are not praised, however; visitors comment that it feels like a disjointed juxtaposition of collections (partly due to the layout itself) and that some sections such as the impressive Palatine Gallery feel like an overload of artwork without proper information on what one is looking at. Probably deserves to be enhanced by good audio-guide apps or by joining guided tours. It isn't that negative though and most visitor do seem to have enjoyed the complex; the highlights for many are the Palatine Gallery area (of course) and the ceiling and wall frescoes in the Treasury rooms.

Environmental & Social

We deem this activity neutral from an environmental standpoint. Helps preserve the city's architectural and artistic heritages.

Conclusion

The Pitti Palace contains some excellent artwork (and plenty of it) running from the classic paintings and frescoes to more original collections but, considering the top-tier cultural venues in the historical center of Firenze across the Arno, we would not necessarily recommend it in priority to a firs time visitor - unless the Boboli Gardens are also of high interest, in which case they form a very enjoyable combination.

Key positive

A lot to see with plenty of art

The Palatine Gallery is very impressive

Key negative

Curation & information needs improvement

Always some sections that appears to be closed

Suitability

Accessible. Children under 12-14yrs old may not find the various collections very interesting

About this Rating

TYPE

Desktop

RESEARCHED IN

June 2024

PROVIDER

Koreval

Included Items
None
Timing
Duration of visit
Closed on 25 Dec and 01 Jan. Last ticket sold 1h before closing time

av. transport time:0h 30m

est. visit time:2h

Regulated hours

Monday -

Tuesday08:15 - 18:30

Wednesday08:15 - 18:30

Thursday08:15 - 18:30

Friday08:15 - 18:30

Saturday08:15 - 18:30

Sunday08:15 - 18:30

Pricing
Covers all collections: Palatine Gallery, Gallery of Modern Art, Treasury of the Grand Dukes
Age band
Age band
Regular price / pers.
Senior
65 - 99
€19
Adult
18 - 64
€19
Child
3 - 17
€3
Infant
0 - 2
€0
Price for EU citizens aged 18-24 is 5 €. All these prices include a 3€ online booking fee

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