One of the most important galleries in the world is located in the city's central square, Piazza della Signoria. The building was built by the Medici family in the 16th century as their office building, hence the name "uffizi", which translates as offices.
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A year after its completion, the building also began to function as an art gallery, which was gradually expanded by each successor of the Medici family.
The Galleria degli Uffizi is undoubtedly one of the most important and largest of its kind in the world and is the most visited place in Florence. What will entice visitors? What to expect here and how much do you pay for admission?
Official gallery website: uffizi.it
Gallery collections from antiquity to romanticism
The original Medici collections were only meant to be private, but after the gallery opened to the public in the 18th century, they quickly began to grow. They include sculpture, arts and crafts, but the main part of the collection is painting.
Painting
The paintings are divided chronologically into more than 20 rooms.
The paintings begin with Gothic art, of which the following works, for example, are exhibited:
- Fra Angelico: Thebaida with Hermits
- Cimabue: Santa Trinita Maesta
- Duccio: Ruccellai Madonna
- Giotto: Madonna of All Saints; Pieta
The most extensive collection, however, comes from the Renaissance period. It is the paintings of the Renaissance that have made the Uffizi Gallery famous throughout the world. We select famous works by the most important artists.
- Leonardo da Vinci: Annunciation; Head of a Woman; Adoration of the Three Kings
- Raffael Santi: St. Paul in Athens; Pope Leo X with the Cardinals
- Sandro Botticelli: The Birth of Venus; Primavera
- Michelangelo Buonarotti: Cleopatra
- Titian: Venus of Urbino
- Caravaggio: The Sacrifice of Isaac
- Albrecht Dürer: Portrait of the Father
Sculpture
The sculpture gallery begins on the top 3rd floor with ancient works and ends with Renaissance works, perhaps the most famous of which are the replicas of the Medicean Venus by Praxiteles and Lakoontes and Sons by Baccio Bandinelli.
The 28 sculptures in the niches in the central hall of the gallery are also of interest.
The Uffizi Gallery building
Construction of the monumental multifunctional palace, mainly for administrative purposes, began in 1560. The architect was none other than the famous Giorgio Vasari, who is responsible for many famous Florentine buildings.
The office complex (hence the name "Uffizi") was commissioned by the Duke of Florence, Cosimo I de' Medici. The building stands on a U-shaped plan with an elongated courtyard that opens out towards the Arno River at one end. The building was completed in 1581.
It has been used as a gallery since the 18th century.
Admission and opening hours
The Uffizi Gallery is open from 8:15 am to 6:30 pm (last entry at 5:30 pm) daily except Mondays and 25 December.
Ticket prices are different for winter and summer.
Prices November 1 - February 28 (29)
- Adult: 12 eur
- EU resident 18-26 years: 2 eur
- Children under 18: free.
Prices 1 March - 31 October
- Adult: 25 eur
- EU resident 18-26 years: 2 eur
- Children under 18: free
Tip! If you are planning to visit the Uffizi Gallery, Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens, consider buying a discounted combination ticket which includes entry to all 3 monuments and works out very well for the price. Admission is 18 eur for an adult during the winter or 38 eur during the summer. The ticket is valid for 5 consecutive days, but you can only enter each monument once.
If you want to avoid endless queues, we recommend buying tickets for the gallery in advance: uffizi.it/en/tickets.
Additional charges apply 4 eurwhich will be automatically added to the reservation.
Accommodation at the Uffizi Gallery
The building is right in the centre and in its surroundings you will find the largest concentration of monuments in Florence. This makes this area one of the most strategic places to stay.
However, the prices in the area match the attractiveness of the place and the cheapest room for 2 per night can be found around 139 eur, for example in private apartments La Tana dei Leone on the banks of the river Arno.
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