Villa d'Este al Quirinale, Renaissance museum in Quirinale district, Rome, Italy.
Villa d'Este al Quirinale is a three-story building with Mannerist architecture located on the Quirinal Hill in Rome and now serves as a museum. The rooms feature high ceilings and large windows overlooking Piazza del Quirinale, bringing natural light into the exhibition spaces.
Pope Gregory XIII had this building designed in the 16th century by architect Ottaviano Nonni as a papal residence. It was later transformed into a museum while retaining much of its original architectural character and layout from that era.
The residence became a gathering place where artists and intellectuals shared their work and ideas during its early years. This tradition of bringing people together still shapes how the museum presents its collections and welcomes visitors today.
The building sits in a central location on the Quirinal and is easily accessible on foot, especially when using public transit nearby. It is straightforward to find if you use Piazza del Quirinale as your reference point.
The building incorporates structural elements from an earlier Carafa family residence, making different architectural styles from various periods visible side by side. This layering of architecture is interesting to observe because it shows how the building was changed and adapted over centuries.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.