The interior of this gorgeous 16th-century villa is fantastically frescoed from top to bottom. Several paintings in the Loggia of Cupid and Psyche and the Loggia of Galatea, both on the ground floor, are attributed to Raphael. On the 1st floor, Peruzzi’s dazzling frescoes in the Salone delle Prospettive are a superb illusionary perspective of a colonnade and panorama of 16th-century Rome.
History
Located in the heart of Trastevere, Villa Farnesina has long been known as one of Rome’s Renaissance masterpieces. Tuscan banker Agostino Chighi commissioned the palace’s construction to architect Baldassarre Peruzzi in 1505. The project would take 15 years to complete and over time the well-connected banker financed various artists to adorn his residence with exceptional artwork that could be admired by princes, politicians, and intellectuals that were often invited for lunch at the property.
The palace was purchased by Cardinal Alessandro Farnese the Younger in 1590 and renamed Villa Farnesina to distinguish it from the family’s other property, Palazzo Farnese.
Tips and other practicalities
Be aware that the opening hours of Villa Farnesina are changing and information found online may be out of date. From August 2023, Villa Farnesina will be open from Monday through Saturday, from 9am to 2pm, plus the second Sunday of every month from 9am to 5pm. Regular tickets start from €6, although they can increase when temporary exhibitions are on display.
