Palazzo Colonna has a long, complicated history linked to the Colonna family (the owners), one of the oldest roman families from the ancient city of Tusculum, a few kilometers outside of Rome. It was built in the Middle Ages, on the ruins of the Temple of Serapis (built by Caracalla in 211 A.D.). Over the centuries Palazzo Colonna was enlarged, later occupying a large part of the Quirinal Hill. We owe today's Gallery to Cardinal Girolamo Colonna, who decided to gather the family collection in a structure purposefully built by the architect Antonio Del Grande. The collection (in which the paintings, furniture and sculptures are displayed as they originally were) includes many paintings, the most famous of which are Bronzino's "Venus and Cupid", Annibale Carracci's "Beaneater" and Pisanello's "Portrait of Pope Martin V". Only upon booking it is possible to visit Princess Isabelle Colonna's apartments, which include a rich collection of Flemish paintings, along with many works by Jan Brueghel The Elder, some superb landscapes by Gaspar Van Wittel (Vanvitelli) and the frescoes that cover the ceiling painted by Pinturicchio.

The visit include : Galleria Colonna is only open for visits on Saturday mornings, entrance 7,00 euro per person (Princess Isabelle Colonna's apartments not included).

Other tours related to painting galleries
Spada gallery
Doria Pamphilj gallery
Borghese gallery
Barberini gallery