Botticelli Room - Uffizi Gallery, Florence
Undoubtedly one of the most attractive room in the whole Uffizi Gallery, displaying two of the most admired and appreciated paintings of all times: The Birth of Venus and The Primavera by Botticelli.
Not only do these paintings witness the refined atmosphere of Florence in the period when they were painted (round 1482-1484), in addition to that, the delicate beauty of the main characters, especially Venus, have certainly become an icon of female beauty.
The room also shows many other wonderful paintings by Botticelli, among which, the Adoration of the Magi, where we can easily recognize the portraits of some members of the Medici family and even the portrait of Botticelli himself!
Another huge painting visible in this room is the Portinari Triptych by the Flemish painter Hugo van der Goes. What a change, if compared to Botticelli style!
Van der Goes painted it in Bruges around 1474 for the Florentine banker Tommaso Portinari and, when this work of art arrived in Florence in 1483 it deeply impressed the Florentine artists.
A bit of history about the Uffizi Gallery
The Uffizi Gallery was constructed between 1560 and 1580 by Giorgio Vasari following the orders of Cosimo I de’ Medici, first Gran Duque of Tuscany. Originally were designed as offices for magistrates, judges, technicians, and merchants of Florence. In order to build the Uffizi Gallery in a U shape many buildings were demolished like San Pier Scheraggio’s church. This is an old Romanesque and important church from the XI century whose arcs and columns can be seen from Via della Ninna in front of the Palazzo Vecchio.
When Vasari died in 1574, this project which construction has been prolonged for many years; has not been completed and two others architects Bernardo Buontalenti and Alfonso Parigi il Vecchio were the ones in charge to finish the work.
The top floor was turned into a private gallery for the amusement of the ruling family of Florence, friends and guests. Here in this gallery were displayed paintings, statues, jewelry, scientific instruments and weapons transforming it into a very interesting and precious collection in the world.
The gallery became a museum and opened its doors officially in 1769.
What is the Uffizi Gallery nowadays?
The Uffizi Gallery, in Italian: Galleria degli Uffizi, is a building and museum of Florence that contains one of the oldest and most famous collections of art in the world.
Nowadays with 50 rooms, houses paintings ranging from the 13th century to the 18th century. The highlights are the famous “Madonna di Ognissanti” by Giotto, the “Battle of San Romano” by Paolo Uccello, the double portrait by Piero della Francesca, “Federico da Montefeltro”, the “Birth of Venus” by Botticelli; in addition to three works by Leonardo, one by Michelangelo, a few by Raffaello and many by Tiziano. All paintings inside the Uffizi Gallery have been displayed chronologically, so it is possible to fully appreciate all the innovations in art throughout the centuries.
Today the Uffizi Gallery is one of the most admired and visited museums in the world.
Curiosities about the Uffizi Gallery
Did you know that with the extinction of the Medici family in the XVIII century, Florence became part of the Austrian empire and the pieces of art that were inside the gallery were almost transferred to Vienna? It was the last duchess, Ana Maria who declared in her will the desire to donate to Florence these wonderful collections. In this way the gallery was opened during the XVI century to the visitors under request and in 1769 opened its doors to the public as a museum.
Did you know that the Uffizi Gallery is considered one the most visited tourist attractions in Italy especially in the city of Florence? During 2015 received almost two million visitants and this number increase every year.
Why visit the Uffizi Gallery?
The origin of the Uffizi Gallery dates back to the age of splendor of the Republic of Florence. This is an indispensable goal in your trip especially if you are art fan because it contains the most important collection of Italians paintings, most of them masterpieces from the Renaissance.
If you are not particularly a fan of museums, and in your visit to Florence you want to choose one or two, visit the Uffizi Gallery because is the most important art gallery of Italy and one of the most prestigious in the world.
How to visit the Uffizi Gallery?
There are several ways to visit the museum. For example, it is possible to buy the ticket to the Uffizi Gallery with a reserved time, avoiding in this way the endless waiting time at the ticket offices. It is also possible to visit the museum by participating in a guided tour of the Uffizi Gallery with a fixed schedule. In addition to the visit to the museum, it is also possible to book a guided tour that includes the Uffizi Gallery and a walking tour of Florence, or a tour that includes also the Accademia Gallery.
Another option is a private visit to the Uffizi Gallery, in this way allows you to visit the museum with an exclusive guide. With a private guide, you can choose the route you prefer: for example, we propose a combined visit to the Uffizi Gallery and the historic center of Florence; for those who want to take an unusual tour, we suggest visiting the Uffizi Gallery, the Bardini Museum and Casa Siviero or you can even follow an itinerary that traces the history of fashion and the Uffizi Gallery.
Other attractions in the area
Only a few steps away from the Uffizi Gallery we find Piazza della Signoria, the center of the civil power with its impressive Palazzo Vecchio that nowadays is home to the offices of the local government and to the Ragazzi Museum where you can see works of Bronzino, Michelangelo, Giorgio Vasari and many others.
Also you can enjoy many other monuments that tells the history of a preserve city through time, the Ponte Vecchio with its hanging houses and shops, is one of the most famous around the world and also is one of the most ancient stone bridges in Europe.
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