Museo Diocesano e Gallerie del Tiepolo, Religious art museum in Patriarchal Palace, Udine, Italy.
The Museo Diocesano e Gallerie del Tiepolo occupies the Patriarchal Palace of Udine, former residence of the Patriarchs of Aquileia and, from 1751, of the archbishops of Udine. Its three floors hold about 700 works: a ground-floor lapidarium with a pre-Roman stone pluteus, fifty-three Friulian wooden sculptures from the 12th to 18th centuries on the first floor, and the noble floor with the 1708 library of Patriarch Dionisio Dolfin, some 12,000 volumes, and Tiepolo's frescoed rooms.
The Patriarchal Palace was the residence of the Patriarchs of Aquileia and, from 1751, of the Archbishops of Udine. The museum was founded in 1963 by Archbishop Giuseppe Zaffonato and first housed in the basement of the archdiocesan seminary. Its transfer to the palace began before the 1976 earthquake, which badly damaged the building; after restoration it opened to the public on 29 April 1995.
Tiepolo's ceiling frescoes dominate the rooms with biblical scenes in rich colors that show the story of faith. The painter's presence throughout the building reveals how religious art shaped the life and spaces of the patriarch's residence.
The museum spreads across multiple levels, so comfortable walking shoes are useful. Some areas may have limited access, so it helps to check with staff when you arrive.
Patriarch Delfino founded Udine's first public library here, which holds rare manuscripts and early printed books. This collection still sits in the palace's historic rooms today.
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