Navigate Your Way Through The Uffizi Gallery | Floor Plan, History, Highlights

What is the Uffizi Gallery?

The Uffizi Gallery is an art museum located in Florence, Italy. It is one of the oldest museums in the world, which displays the private collections of the Medici family. A jewel of Renaissance art, the museum houses an impressive collection that includes works including paintings and sculptures by some of the greatest artists such as Giotto, Mantegna, Correggio, Leonardo, Raffaello, Michelangelo, Filippo Lippi, Botticelli, and Caravaggio, among others. One of the most visited art galleries in the world, the museum sees over 2 million tourists each year. 

Why Is the Uffizi Gallery a Must-Visit?

• Located in the heart of Florence, Italy, the Uffizi Gallery is one of the oldest and most renowned art museums in the world.
• The gallery is housed in an impressive 16th-century palace showcasing stunning architecture – the perfect backdrop for its remarkable collection of artworks.
• It is the home of some of the most celebrated artworks from the Renaissance period and allows visitors a chance to appreciate hundreds of masterpieces from throughout Europe’s history all under one roof.

Who Created the Uffizi Gallery?

The House of Medici, a powerful political and religious dynasty in Florence, with a fine eye for art, was a patron of several artists and sculptures and amassed a wealth of artwork. 

In the 1560s, Cosimo I de' Medici, former Duke of Florence, asked Italian painter and architect Giorgio Vasari to design a structure for administrative purposes, as an office, or Uffizi. It was originally imagined as a series of offices and administrative buildings for the Florentine magistrates, which eventually underwent expansion and renovation over time to become one of the world’s most important art galleries.

Giorgio Vasari, regarded as one of the leading figures in 16th-century Mannerism followed an architectural style characterized by its ornate decorations. During his career, he built several fortresses, palaces, and churches, often incorporating elements of classical architecture into his works. For the Uffizi Gallery, however, Vasari opted for a more restrained approach with a symmetrical layout and neutral colors.

Brief History of the Uffizi Gallery

The Uffizi Gallery was built in 1560 by Cosimo I de Medici the first Grand Duke of Tuscany to house the administrative and legislative offices of Florence.

Right from 1581, the top floor was used to house the artworks and collections of the family. The collection kept growing and the top floor was divided into rooms to store the artworks properly. In 1743, the last Medici, Anna Maria Luisa de Medici signed the Family Pact which gave ownership of the Uffizi Museum and its contents to the Tuscan state -  with the guarantee that none of the artwork would leave Florence. The museum as we know it was opened in 1769, although a few works have been shifted to other museums in Florence. 

Uffizi Gallery Architecture

Uffizi Museum is a rare gallery where even the architecture of the venue is considered as important as the art. Some architectural highlights to look out for include the following:

• The Uffizi Palace: Perhaps one of the most important pieces of Italian architecture from the 16th century, this was designed by Giorgio Vasari to house the offices (“uffizi”) of the magistrates of Florence. Created in Classical style, the space is open and bright.
• The Grand Staircase: This opulent staircase is divided into two parts. The first was designed by Vasari in the Florentine Renaissance style and stops at the first floor. The second part leads to the gallery floor and is designed in Neoclassical form.
• The Gallery Corridors: The three corridors on the top floor of the Uffizi Museum feature frescoes that date back to 1550-1700 ca. 
• The Tribune: Created in the early 1580s by Bernardo Buontalenti, the Tribune is an octagonal room that was designed in a way that alluded to the four elements.