Palazzo Colonna

The Palazzo Colonna is the largest private palace in Rome, located on the Via della Pilotta. This grand palace is truly a gem in hiding as it gets overshadowed by a myriad of other public museums and palaces and is open just once a week. Annibale Carracci’s Il Mangiafagioli (The Bean Eater) is the most admired painting in the Colonna collection. The ceilings are adorned with Pinturicchio frescoes, and there are artworks by artists like Jan Brueghel the Elder, Bronzino, Guercino, Veronese, Tintoretto and others.

The Colonna family constructed the palace in the 14th century; they acquired my art pieces during that time up until the 18th century. It is still home to the family’s descendants. The Great Hall is the most grandiose here. It is covered in gold-framed paintings, sculptures and paintings of flowers and playful cherubs. The other rooms include Sala della Colonna Bellica, Sala dell'Apoteosi di Martino V, Sala dei Paesaggi and rooms dedicated to some famous family members. The palazzo also has a pretty garden.