The “Galleria degli Uffizi” is one of the most famous museums in the world, given the rich amount of unique artworks and masterpieces conserved within its walls, the majority from the Renaissance period.
The main part of the collections was left by the Medici to the state of Tuscany so that they could adorn the State, be of utility to the Public, and attract the curiosity of Foreigners.
Located in the heart of Florence, the Uffizi Gallery hosts works of art by great Italian artists such as Botticelli, Giotto, Cimabue, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Raffaello.
Its large collection has works from all centuries, but a large part dates back to the periods between the 12th and 17th centuries.
The museum is organized as a long labyrinth of rooms with amazing works of art displayed roughly in chronological order along a U-shaped Renaissance building which was never created to be a museum.
Cosimo de’ Medici had entrusted his favorite architect Giorgio Vasari to create a grandiose building right next to Palazzo Vecchio, the seat of power, to host the magistrates, the seats of the Florentine Guilds, a vast theatre and judiciary offices (hence the name “ Uffizi” which means offices in Italian).
The Uffizi Gallery is a must-see destination for anyone visiting Florence and Tuscany and welcomes over a million visitors each year.
The Uffizi, together with the Vatican Museums in Rome, are the top two most visited museums in Italy by visitors from all across the world and the long lines at the museum’s entrance are almost as famous as its masterpieces.