The Uffizi Gallery is an ancient art museum, built in the 16th century in the heart of Florence. The museum is known all over the world for its impressive collection of works by some of history’s greatest artists. With over 2 million visitors every year, it is the most popular art museum in the country. Throughout hundreds of years, the Medici family, an important patron of Italian Renaissance art, collected most of the works of art displayed in the gallery.
Between the years 1560-1580, the Uffizi Gallery was built next to the Vecchio Palace as a public office building (the word Uffizi comes from the word office), designed by the architect Giorgio Vasari. In 1590 part of the place was converted into a private exhibition room of the Medici House and in 1769 it was officially converted into a museum open to the general public.
It is a building designed as a 3-story labyrinth. In the center crosses a large and famous corridor – the Vasari Corridor, which connects the building with the Pitti Palace, which is located on the other side of the Arno River. The museum is huge, the area of each floor is about 139 thousand square meters. The permanent exhibits in the museum are divided into different exhibitions in chronological order.
The first and oldest wing is the archaeological wing. The wing displays statues, coffins, vessels, etc., which are relics preserved from the ancient period, the period of rule of the Greek and Roman Empires.
Next in line is the medieval wing, which includes various works, mostly paintings from the period between the 13th and 15th centuries. In this wing, you will find masterpieces by great names, including Giotto, Cimabue, Duccio da Buonisegna and Simone Martini.
The Renaissance art wing is the most important and popular in the museum. It displays works by the best artists, mainly from the 16th century. You will find works by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Botticelli, Michelangelo, Titian, Tintoretto, and just about every Italian Renaissance artist, in addition to works by famous international artists such as Albrecht Dürer, Hans Memling, and Lukas Cranach. There is also a special room, separated from the rest, dedicated to the artist Caravaggio.
Another wing of the museum is dedicated to art from the period between the 17th and 18th centuries. There you can see works by famous artists from all over the world, such as Tiepolo, Velázquez, Peter Paul Rubens, and the French Rembrandt.
In another wing, called Gabinetto delle Stampe (in English – Cabinet of Prints), about 150 thousand paintings and engravings created by Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci are placed.
In addition to the permanent exhibits, the museum exhibits changing exhibits on various topics.
In addition to the art exhibitions, when visiting the museum you can enjoy the impressive library housed in the building, an art conservation center that runs various projects and events, as well as a shop and a cafe.
The Uffizi Gallery is a very popular tourist spot and accordingly, the place was crowded, especially on weekends. If you can, you should plan a visit during the week and not at the end. In addition, it is recommended to order the entrance ticket on the museum’s website in advance to skip the line at the entrance which tends to be very long.
Prices
From November to February, a regular ticket will cost 12 euros, and the price of a discounted ticket (for students and adults over 65) is 6 euros from In March to October, the price of a regular ticket is 20 euros, while a discounted ticket will cost 10 euros.
Opening times
Tuesday to Sunday (closed on Mondays), 8:15-18:50. Entry is possible every 15 minutes. The place is closed to visitors on the following dates: January 1, May 1, and December 25.
