Palazzo Venezia, between art and history
Posted on 09 April 2010
One of the major examples of Architecture in Rome, the too much neglected Palazzo Venezia is a very recommended visit. In its inside there is a very furnished museum and the biggest Italian library of Archeology and Art History.
In the heart of Rome, below Campidoglio, rise one of the most ancient and known buildings of the Capital, Palazzo Barbo, also known as Palazzo Venezia, which dominates Piazza Venezia and goes for part of via Plebiscito. Palazzo Barbo was named like this as was built thanks to Pietro Barbo who later on became Pope Paul II and it was finished between 1455 and 1467. The name of this building changed later as it hosted for some years the Venice Republic Embassy, which gave its name to the building and to the Piazza. Palazzo Venezia became later the Austrian Embassy and in 1916 it came back to Italy.
During the years of the Fascism Palazzo Venezia knew, even though from a rather sad point of view, its greatest years. Right in here, in fact, Benito Mussolini decided to install the government headquarters and from the balcony of the palace, which became famous, he harangued the Italians and proclaimed the empire birth and the subsequent declaration of war to France and England.
Inside Palazzo Venezia, there is the well-known Museum, the National Museum which entrance is in Via del Plebiscito. You can see artworks from Guercino, Giorgione and Giotto, just to quote the famous ones. The museum is open every day from 8:30am to 7:30pm while the ticket counter closes at 6:30pm. The cost of each entry is € 4,00 and € 2,00 the reduced one. Please note that persons aged between 18 and 25 and resident in the European Union pay the reduced ticket. From the entrance of Piazza Venezia nr. 3, there is the Archeology and Art History Library, the biggest Italian library for these areas.
