Borghese Gallery

Discover another museum in Rome, Borghese Gallery. The museum is housed in the beautiful setting of Villa Borghese in Rome, where you can find not only statues, reliefs and ancient mosaics but also paintings and sculptures from the 15th to the 18th centuries. These rare works were collected by Cardinal Scipione Borghese, who was a great lover of art in the early 17th century. The collection preserves the masterpieces of Antonello da Messina, Giovanni Bellini, Raffaello, Titian, Correggio, Caravaggio and the magnificent statues of Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Canova.

Cardinal Scipione was interested in all the manifestations of ancient, renaissance and contemporary art that are a reminder of these periods. However, his ambitions were to create new sculptures, especially of marble, which were then compared with old works. Since 1838, the museum has been a portrait of Paolia Bonaparte Borghese, painted by the famous painter Canova. The cardinal acquired other works from recent archaeological excavations or from many burgher houses.

Some of the works acquired by Cardinal Scipione were often confiscated by the popes and relocated. During the reign of Napoleon, many exceptional works transported to the Louvre in Paris. At present, the collection retains the characteristic features of a private gallery. The works, which were bought by the founder of this museum almost four centuries ago, can still be admired by visitors to this day.

The Borghese Gallery is open to visitors every day except Monday. There are also guided tours, which last an hour and a half and are in Italian and English. Group visits are also allowed, but they must have a maximum of 15 members. More information on visiting the Borghese Gallery can be found on the official website below.

Place: Piazzale Scipione Borghese, Rome, Italy
Start: 9:00 – 19:00
Tickets: 0-13€

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