The Uffizi Gallery

The Uffizi holds the greatest collection of Renaissance painting in the world, gathered by the Medici and housed in a grand Vasari-designed palace beside the Arno in Florence. Its galleries lead through the birth and flowering of the Renaissance, from Giotto and Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Primavera to Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael and Titian, a pilgrimage for lovers of art.

History

Giorgio Vasari began the building in 1560 for Cosimo I de' Medici to bring the city's committees, agencies and guilds under one roof, hence the name uffizi, "offices", and Alfonso Parigi and Bernardo Buontalenti finished it in 1581. The last Medici heiress, Anna Maria Luisa, left the family collections to Florence; the gallery, open to visitors on request since the 16th century, opened officially to the public in 1769 and became a museum in 1865 (Wikipedia, Uffizi).

What to look for

• Botticelli - the Birth of Venus and Primavera.
• Leonardo and Michelangelo - the works of the great masters.
• Raphael and Titian - the High Renaissance masterpieces.
• The building and Arno view - the Vasari corridor and the river views.

When to go

Year-round; a fully indoor museum, worth a half day. Book a timed ticket well ahead, as walk-up queues are very long, and go early or on a late opening.

What to expect

It is extremely popular, so book a timed ticket well ahead or face hours of queuing. It is large, so focus on the highlights rather than every room. It is crowded around the famous Botticellis.

Nearby

The Duomo, the Ponte Vecchio and the Piazza della Signoria are alongside.

Key facts