Visiting the Borghese Gallery in Rome

Visiting the Borghese Gallery in Rome

A space rich in art and history. Immersed in the gardens of Villa Borghese, the gallery is an ark of beauty for humanity. Galleria Borghese (Borghese Gallery) is one of the treasures that few cities in the world can boast of, among others. It is located in the vegetation of the Romans’ most beloved public park. And is it really worth visiting the Galleria Borghese (Borghese Gallery) in Rome? Here at Your Travel to Italy with Ana Patricia you make the trip of your dreams!!! ALSO: see our “Accommodation in Italy – Tips for your holidays!”

Caravaggio

Galleria Borghese (Borghese Gallery) in Rome

Galleria Borghese (Borghese Gallery) in Rome

Galleria Borghese

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Introduction

The Galleria Borghese (Borghese Gallery) is a work of art that contains many others, a treasure wanted by Scipione Borghese, during the 17th century. Villa Borghese, outside Porta Pinciana (Pinciana Gate), inside the gallery, appeared in the beginning of the 17th century, around an initial possession of the family, which was gradually attached to other lands until the constitution of a huge park. Also read How to book the Galleria Borghese using the Rom Pass!

1) Visiting the Borghese Gallery in Rome: ABOUT BORGHESE

The rapid rise of the Borghese, of Sienese origin, in the context of the Roman Empire culminated in the election of the Pontiff Camillo (1605–1621), who, under the name of Paul V, started the great era of urban interventions and extraordinary collection ventures. The main protagonist of this scenario and of the diplomatic and ceremonial representation of the ecclesiastical court was the pope’s favorite nephew, Cardinal Scipione Caffarelli Borghese. Scipione can be considered a talent scout, like Caravaggio and Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

2) Visiting the Borghese Gallery in Rome: WORKS OF CARAVAGGIO AND BERNINI

The gallery, in fact, contains the world’s largest collection of works by Caravaggio and a large number of masterpieces by Bernini. Inside, you can also see one of Canova’s most famous works, such as the magnificent portrait of Paolina Borghese (Pauline Bonaparte), the result of the collection of Cardinal Scipione Borghese who, in the early 1600s, built this gallery just to organize all his treasures.

Sculptures for the Cardinal

Don’t miss the series of sculptures made for the cardinal by the young Gian Lorenzo Bernini (Aeneas, Anchises, and Ascanius; the Rape of Proserpina, Apollo, Daphne, and David) that seem to invite us to participate in his events: the Sacred and Profane Love by Titian; masterpieces by Caravaggio; and the admirable princess Pauline Borghese, Napoleon’s favorite sister, portrayed by Canova as Venus Victrix (Venus Victorious). An invaluable artistic heritage populates the rooms of the 17th-century Galleria Borghese. Paintings, sculptures, mosaics, and bas-reliefs from the 15th to the 19th centuries are part of the collection displayed on the two floors of the building; the sculptures are placed on the ground floor, while the pinacotheca is on the first floor.

3) Visiting the Borghese Gallery in Rome: FIRST FLOOR

The rooms on the first floor introduce themselves on a journey to color and to the canvas with treasures with real and own treasures such as “Portrait of a man”, “Deposition”, “Portrait of a Young Woman with a Unicorn” by Raphael, “Madonna and child ”by Perugino,“ Portrait of a Young Man ”by Ghirlandaio,“Boy with a basket of fruit ”,“ Young Sick Bacchus”,“ David with the Head of Goliath ”,“ Madonna di Loreto” (Pilgrim’s Madonna) by Caravaggio,“ Susanna and the Elders” by Rubens, Titian’s “Sacred and Profane Love”, to name but a few.

One of the symbols of the gallery is, in fact, the charming “Venus Victrix” (Venus Victorious) by Antonio Canova, who seems to have modeled Paolina Borghese with butter, depicted on the triclinium with the fruit in his hand. Other famous sculptures are “David”, “The Rape of Proserpina,” and “Apollo e Daphne” by Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

4) Visiting the Borghese Gallery in Rome: GROUND FLOOR

In the gallery, there is a ground floor with a grand entrance hall called Mariano Rossi Hall, imposing both in size and in sumptuousness, for decoration and for the monumental sculptures it houses. It takes us through the route of the museum. The ground floor is a joy with masterpieces by Bernini, Greek and Roman sculptures of the highest value, Paolina by Canova, Madonna di Loreto (Pilgrim’s Madonna), and Caravaggio.

The Pinacotheca

The pinacotheca is rich in works for connoisseurs. In addition to Raphael, Guercino, Domenichino, it is possible to appreciate some jewels from the 17th and 18th centuries that are found in their natural homes. Above all, the arch made by Sicilian Mariano Rossi (1731–1807) dominates, which also bears the name of the hall. As we said before, the Galleria Borghese (Borghese Gallery) is spread over two floors, one dedicated to sculptures and the other to paintings. Although the visiting rooms are very small, inside there are always some great masterpieces.

Paolina Bonaparte Borghese

I advise you to visit this splendid monument for anyone who wants to immerse themselves in art and breathe human creativity at its highest and most refined levels. All of the art, or almost all of it, is kept on two floors. The room opens the route at the museum with one of the most famous sculptures in the Borghese collection, the portrait statue of Paolina Bonaparte Borghese in the garments of Venus Victrix (Venus Victorious) by Antonio Canova (1757–1822). Although the work has been placed in this environment only since 1889, it finds a natural destination in the room dedicated to the stories of Venus and Aeneas, through episodes narrated in the paintings of the arch.

The five canvases by Domenico de Angelis

The five canvases, in fact, painted by Domenico de Angelis in 1779, represent the salient moments in the life of the Trojan hero, son of the goddess Venus and the mythical founder of Roman civilization. The Sun Room has taken on such a name due to the presence of the ancient reliefs of the God Sun over the car and the Ocean and the Moon over a descending carriage, which connect the ceiling paintings. In the center of the room is exposed David by Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680), created by the artist between 1623 and 1624.

Other Rooms and Works

Of course, there are other rooms with other masterpieces, both on the ground floor and on the first floor, but you need to visit them and realize that a masterpiece of humanity must be able to be seen at least once in its life. We must remember that Galleria Borghese (Borghese Gallery) was born as a private collection, and therefore, the works and their disposition do not meet the didactic criteria (period, subject), but reflect the taste and intentions of their former owners. The spaces are well organized, and the management is optimally organized due to the access to the gallery, which allows you to visit it for an adequate amount of time without crowds.

Useful information

See now some important information about tickets, hours, addresses, and more.

Tickets and Reservations

The Galleria Borghese belongs to the circuit of the Museums of Rome, and as such, on the first Sunday of each month, admission is free. But it must always be reserved: send an email to [email protected] (response within 48 hours).

• Galleria Borghese is also part of the Rome and Roma & Più Pass circuit; ticket reservations are always mandatory.
• Roma Pass customers are invited to make a single-entry reservation by calling 00390632810 or by sending an email to [email protected] (response within 48 hours).
• Access is always in a programmed number with a two-hour cadence, for which it is necessary to book a few months in advance.
• It is always advisable to report half an hour before the scheduled time.

Entrance

• Entrance is via Pinciana, once you have tickets, you have to leave bags and umbrellas in the locker room (free).
• After a short ramp of stairs, you enter the gallery, and you are open-mouthed for two hours. There are many masterpieces, one more famous than another; even the rooms themselves are some of the wonders of art, with beautiful ceilings and spectacular walls. After the visit to the first floor, which has a circular floor, you leave and go up a long ramp that leads to the second floor, where most of the paintings are.

CLICK HERE AND BUY YOUR TICKET IN ENGLISH FOR THE GALLERIA BORGHESE WITHOUT LINES !!!!
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Schedules

• Tuesday and Sunday, from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• Last entry at 5:00 pm, two-hour visit shifts for a maximum of up to 250 people.
• Visit the gallery; the shifts are carried out at the following times: 09: 00 a.m. -11: 00 a.m./ 11:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m./ 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m./ 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m./ 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 pm.
• Closing days: Monday, December 25th, January 1st.
• Box office hours – 8: 30 am – 6:00 pm, (the box office is in the basement).

Deposits and Luggage

Deposit of any type of bag, backpack, pram, stroller, or any other is mandatory.

Visiting Time

The Galleria Borghese is not just a museum but an experience of what a museum should be like, or who knows what other adjective it could use.  In just two hours, you have the opportunity to see so many of those masterpieces regrouped in a few rooms that, only after you leave, do you realize the greatness of man as an artist in the 16th and 17th centuries, not to mention the excellent work of Canova with his Paolina Bonaparte.

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How to get to Galleria Borghese?

1) How to get to Galleria Borghese (Borghese Gallery)? BY SUBWAY

Take Metro Line A and get off at Flaminio or Spain. Find out here how to use the metro in Rome!

2) How to get to Galleria Borghese (Borghese Gallery)? BY BUS

Internal bus to Villa Borghese – Line 116; Bus that crosses the Villa: 88, 95, 490, 495; Buses: 52, 53, 63, 86, 92, 116, 217, 360, 491, 630, 910, 926. Read our section on Transport in Italy!

3) How to get to Galleria Borghese (Borghese Gallery)? BY TRAM

Take the Tram: 19, 3, or 2.

4) How to get to Galeria Borghese (Borghese Gallery)? BY TAXI

Ask to go to Rua Vittorio Veneto (height of Villa Borghese).

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Conclusion

Visiting the Borghese Gallery in Rome? It’s a unique emotion—the magnificent art you can breathe at Galleria Borghese, works that leave you perplexed and enchanted by their absolute beauty—a journey through history and myth that leaves the visitor breathless. The Villa Borghese park is also magnificent, where you can also take a beautiful walk.

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