When you approach Palazzo Pitti there are crowds of tourists and locals sitting on the concrete hill that leads to the palace, enjoying lunch and relaxing. But what is inside the massive stone palace is even more spectacular than the views the hill offers.
Palazzo Pitti, also known as the Pitti Palace, is a Renaissance palace in Florence built in the 1400s. It is home to several art museums and the Boboli Gardens. I visited the Palatine Gallery and Costume Gallery, which offer a very different, and wonderful, experience compared to other art museums I have been to.
The Palatine Gallery is in the main section of the palace and is full of artwork, both paintings and sculptures, along with furniture and gorgeous rooms. The artwork is from the royal Medici family who lived in the palace starting in the late 1500s. It is still displayed how the family would have had it. I loved this feature of the gallery because it gives the visitor a taste of what it was like to be royal in Florence.
In most museums, art is usually separated by artist or time period, which can become redundant. Personally, after I see a few pieces by the same artist, I tend to move on. This gallery, however, keeps your attention since it is such a mix of styles and mediums.
Not only is the artwork on the walls a focal point, but the rooms themselves are pieces of art. Every room has lavish wallpapers, massive windows with views of the gardens and city and frescoes on the ceilings that tell the stories of the Medici family through mythology. Personally, this is my favorite part of the museum. It gives you an intimate feel into the lives of one of the most influential families of Florence.
Some notable pieces in this gallery include numerous portraits by Raphael, a High Renaissance artist from Italy. There are also pieces by Rubens and Caravaggio, both Baroque artists that became very popular after the Renaissance.
I recommend picking up the brochure at the entrance to each room. These have all the information for each piece in the room and the fresco. There is also staff in every room that can answer questions about the work.
Also in the main palace there is a costume gallery, which is the only national museum dedicated solely to fashion in Italy. It is not very large, but it houses many beautiful items from world famous designers. I loved this gallery because it was very different than the Palatine Gallery. There is a mix of old and new between the two galleries, so there is something in this palace for everyone to enjoy.
There are rotating exhibits in the Costume Gallery. Currently, the exhibit is "Traces." This exhibit highlights modern art from the 1930s to present day with coordinating clothing pieces that match the trends seen in the artwork. The last gallery of this exhibit is stunning. Sequin dresses on mannequins reflect the lights in the room to create designs on the walls to mimic fireworks in the art piece next to them. This is a must-see in the museum.
The palace also contains a gallery of modern art, copies of the royal apartments, a carriage museum, a silver museum and a porcelain museum. I did not have time to go into all of these, but I am sure they are also worth a visit. The Modern Art Gallery is also very close to the Palatine and Costume galleries.
I recommend buying tickets online for Palazzo Pitti so you can skip the long ticket line. You can buy either a ticket for the main art galleries, one for the gardens, or a ticket for all the attractions at the palazzo. The address is Piazza de' Pitti, 1, 50125 Firenze FI. Their hours are 8:15 am to 6:50 pm Tuesday through Sunday for both the Palatine Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art. The hours for the other museums and gardens change during each season.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my time at this palace in the galleries because it was a vast mix of artwork, in many forms, that can keep you interested for hours. It was also not crowded at all on a weekday, so you can enjoy the works in the quiet without large tour groups around. This is a true Florence experience that is worth visiting.