A journey through the painting of the Italian Renaissance in one of the world’s richest art galleries
Masterpieces of the great masters: the most requested guided tour of the Uffizi
This tour features explanations of selected major works, preceded by an introduction to the palace’s history and the collection. Visitors are guided through the main historic rooms, offered panoramic views of Florence, and enjoy a brief pause on the terrace overlooking the Loggia della Signoria. This tour is particularly recommended for first-time visitors or those who have never experienced a guided visit to the museum.
Introduction: The Construction of the Palace and the Initial Layout of the Gallery
The Uffizi Gallery occupies much of the palace built in the 16th century between the Arno River and Piazza della Signoria, originally designed to house the offices of the Florentine state. We continue to call it the Uffizi, though its official name is now Galleria delle Statue e delle Pitture, part of the broader Gallerie degli Uffizi complex, which also includes Palazzo Pitti, the Vasari Corridor, and the Boboli Gardens.
Going back in time to the era of Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici, we find a ruler who, after the conquest of Siena and an ambitious plan to establish a richer, more powerful, and authoritative Florentine state, commissioned his trusted architect Giorgio Vasari to design a grand palace to consolidate the public offices and magistracies, then scattered across the city. The palace was completed in 1580 during the reign of Grand Duke Francesco I.
It was Francesco I who transformed the top floor of the eastern wing into a gallery of statues and paintings. The corridor was adorned with frescoed ceilings, with paintings arranged on the upper walls and ancient statues placed below. Buontalenti, Francesco’s favored artist, created the Tribuna, a room reserved for the Medici collection’s finest pieces. Over time, additional rooms were added, such as the Stanzino delle Matematiche, dedicated to scientific instruments, and the Armory, displaying rare weapons and armor, completing the gallery’s initial layout.
The eastern corridor: grotesques, Portrait Series, and the Collection of Antiquities
Upon entering the top-floor corridor, visitors are captivated by the extraordinary fresco decoration of the ceiling. Created around 1580 by Antonio Tempesta and later by Alessandro Allori and his workshop, the frescoes feature well-preserved Mannerist grotesques, their vibrancy restored in recent cleanings.
History enthusiasts will find the Giovian Series particularly intriguing. This collection of hundreds of small portraits depicts famous figures—kings, queens, emperors, sultans, dukes, generals, cardinals, popes, travelers, and scientists—lined along the ceilings of the three corridors. Another series, known as the Aulic Series, chronicles the history of the Medici family through its most prominent members, from Giovanni di Bicci, founder of the Medici bank, to Lorenzo the Magnificent and beyond, accompanied by their consorts in splendid attire.
The ancient statues
The corridors also showcase much of the Medici family’s ancient collection, predominantly Roman art from the 1st century BCE to the 2nd century CE. The Medici were passionate collectors who secured exceptional pieces from the burgeoning trend of archaeological excavation and collection in the Renaissance.
The Tribuna room
The Tribuna, the most historically significant room in the gallery, was designed by Bernardo Buontalenti for Grand Duke Francesco I in the 1580s as part of the transformation of the palace’s eastern wing into a showcase for the Medici collections. With its octagonal plan, inlaid marble floors, crimson velvet-covered walls, azure and mother-of-pearl detailing, and a dome adorned with shells on a red background, the Tribuna was conceived as a treasure chest of art. Once complete, it was filled with masterpieces ranging from ancient statues to Renaissance paintings, bronzes, and exquisite vases, reflecting Francesco I’s refined tastes and passion for alchemy.
The room represents the intersection of nature and artifice, science and beauty, echoing the four elements of the universe: the floor as earth, the walls as fire, the dome as water, and the ceiling as air.
Specialized Tours
First rooms: Focus on medieval Byzantine-inspired painting, featuring artists such as Cimabue, Giotto, Duccio di Boninsegna, Simone Martini, and the Lorenzetti brothers.
Early Renaissance: A tour of 15th-century Florentine art, with highlights from Masaccio, Fra Angelico, Filippo Lippi, Paolo Uccello, Piero della Francesca, Botticelli, and others.
Northern Renaissance: Venetian, Emilian, and Lombard schools of the 15th and 16th centuries, showcasing works by Bellini, Mantegna, Giorgione, Titian, Tintoretto, and Veronese.
16th-Century Art: Masterpieces by Michelangelo, Raphael, Andrea del Sarto, and the Mannerists, including Rosso Fiorentino and Bronzino.
Northern European Painting: Flemish, Dutch, and German works by Memling, Rogier van der Weyden, Dürer, Rubens, and Rembrandt.
Caravaggio and the Baroque painting: Featuring Caravaggio, Artemisia Gentileschi, Guido Reni, and others.
History of collecting and museography at the Uffizi: the corridors, the Tribuna, the Mathematics Room, the Hall of Maps, the Cabinet of Madama, and the Niobe Room
The Medici Collection of ancient statues: Statues of gods, heroes, emperors, and philosophers from the Medici archaeological collection
Contini Bonacossi collection, exhibited in new halls opened in 2018