Palazzo Ducale – Galleria Nazionale delle Marche

Top choice in Urbino


Urbino’s great architectural masterpiece, the 15th-century Palazzo Ducale provides the monumental setting for the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche and its stunning collection of Renaissance art. The palace’s cavernous halls are lined with paintings by the likes of Titian, Signorelli, Guido Reni and Piero della Francesca, whose intriguing Flagellazione di Cristo (Flagellation of Christ) hangs in what was once the Duke of Urbino’s library. Other highlights include Raphael’s enigmatic La Muta (Portrait of a Young Woman) and Luciano Laurana’s Città Ideale (Ideal City).

The main part of the collection is displayed on the piano nobile (literally 'noble floor'), accessible via a grand staircase from the inner courtyard, the Cortile d’Onore. Works are hung in a seemingly endless series of rooms culminating in the immense Salone del Trono, a vast 35m-long and 17m-high space that served as the banqueting hall for Federico da Montefeltro, the powerful duke who had the palace built in the 1450s.

The duke, under whom Urbino became an important Renaissance centre, enlisted the foremost artists and architects of the age to create his showpiece residence. For the best views of the complex, head to Corso Garibaldi and look up at the Facciata dei Torricini, the building's signature facade with its trio of arched loggias and two circular towers.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Urbino attractions

1. Duomo

0.04 MILES

Rebuilt in the early 19th century in neoclassical style, the interior of Urbino's duomo commands much greater interest than its austere facade…

2. Museo Diocesano Albani

0.05 MILES

Adjacent to the Duomo, this museum showcases a modest collection of religious artefacts, vestments and paintings, including Andrea da Bologna’s Madonna…

3. Casa della Poesia

0.08 MILES

Ser around a lovely arcaded courtyard in the Renaissance Palazzo Bonaventura Odasi, this cultural centre hosts everything from art and photography…

4. Oratorio di San Giovanni

0.13 MILES

This 14th-century red-brick church features a series of brightly coloured frescoes by Lorenzo and Giacomo Salimbeni. Behind the main altar is a gripping…

5. Casa Natale di Raffaello

0.19 MILES

This 15th-century house is where Renaissance artist Raphael was born in 1483 and spent his first 16 years. The museum, which displays copies of many of…

6. Torre Cesta

17.09 MILES

Dominating the skyline and offering superb views towards Rimini and the coast, the Cesta castle dates from the 13th century and sits atop 750m Monte…

7. Torre Guaita

17.29 MILES

The oldest and largest of San Marino's castles, Torre Guaita dates from the 11th century. It was still being used as a prison as recently as 1975.

8. Museo di Stato

17.42 MILES

San Marino's best museum by far is the well laid out if disjointed state museum, which displays art, history, furniture and cultural objects.