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The Palazzo Doria Pamphilj is absolutely beautiful! No matter how many times you visit Rome, there is always something new to see or experience. Such was the case with our recent visit. The Palazzo Doria Pamphilj was a place l had entertained visiting since l read about it a couple of years ago. I was aware of the humongous Doria Pamphili park and know it’s one of the nicest ones where the locals go to picnic and relax in. It should be on your list of best things to see in Rome for sure.
Palazzo Doria Pamphilj:
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Palazzo Doria Pamphili is a private mansion located right in the heart of Rome, on what l can only assume is priceless land. This place is monstrous and takes up a whole city block not far away from the popular piazza Navona so you can just imagine. Very few of these palaces remain in private hands. Most are government offices or embassies. This one however remains so, and believe it or not, the family members still reside there.
The tour of the Palazzo Doria is a self guided one which was refreshing as that meant you could go at your own pace. Once you pay your entrance fee, you get your free audio guide and off you go, down a long corridor, then up the stairs. I was a little disappointed because it was unremarkable to say the least. Quite plain. I changed my mind as we came upon the first “room”, part of the royal apartments.
The Doria Pamphili family came to be as a result of intermarriage between the Aldobrandini and Pamphili, along with the Borghese and some other names that escape my mind. Just know they were super rich people marrying super rich people and one was made a Cardinal because he was a nephew of the Pope and that is where the word “Nepotism” comes from. The popes knew how to take care of their own.
Our recommended hotel in Rome for friends and family is A. Roma Lifestyle Hotel. It’s away from the maddening crowd and has awesome amenities.
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There are four wings to the villa with a central courtyard. The first peek inside the decadence is the Velvet room with its rich mixture of reds and gold. Stunning and impressive would describe it nicely. Several marble statues adorn the room, including one that was just amazing because of the intricate work done on the ruffles on the neck. It’s insane to think that such a hard substance as marble can be manipulated to look like a piece of cloth. I think we spent some time in front of that just ooohing and wanting to touch it (please don’t 🙂 ).
The apartments were lovely, the next one more impressive than the previous. The ballroom was my favorite in the wing. You could imagine wonderful parties taking place there. On one side were two maid statues wearing the colors of the Doria Pamphili family. Between them was a one of a kind harp. In those days, the palace was a hangout for the most major artists (painters, sculptors etc) of the time. I remember he said Handel composed one of his major works here.
There were several Bernini sculptures scattered around the rooms, including one of the Cardinal. Just like he did with Cardinal Borghese, the first statue was cracked and he whipped out a second one in a week. I keep wondering if the guy was actually a genius or he did 2 at the same time, with one cracked on purpose just so he could “make another in a week” to show off. It’s too coincidental to me. Either way, the talent is obviously there as both statues look identical, save for the cracks.
The painting in the same room by Diego Velasquez is considered to be his best work and supposedly doesn’t attempt to hide his “ugliness”. I take it he wasn’t a very nice person. On seeing it, the pope said “It is me”. What do you think? He does look like of mean there.
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Doria Pamphilj Gallery Rome:
There was a whole hallway just for artwork. Some were numbered and you could punch in the number and listen to the history of the painting. A lot were not. You could easily spend 2-3 hours in that room alone if you were so inclined. These were all very important artists too, such as Bassano, Raffaello and Bernini and his number one student whose name escapes me.
My absolutely favorite room in the whole palace was the Gallery of Mirrors. It is simply breath-taking. Modeled after the namesake room in Versailles, but prettier in my opinion (missing the gaudy pink that l hated). It is just simply grand. The mirrors were imported from France and when the light comes through the windows from the outside, you really appreciate it. The statues in the enclosure are so fantastic. I could have stayed there longer for sure.
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Doria Pamphilj Gallery Of Mirrors: Stunning!
There is a chapel located in the palazzo Doria, complete with someone in the crypt. It makes for a beautiful resting place. The crypt was roped off and so it was hard to get a good picture. It is of a certain Saint Theodora who was saved from flames via divine intervention when the flames parted. There is another saint buried there called the Centurion but l forget the story of that one :-).
My favorite bust statue in the whole palace is one of a certain woman by the name of Olympia Maidalchini below. She was a rich widow (first husband was a nobleman from the Borghese family) and married Pamhilio Pamphili. Rumors were she was involved with not just her husband, but with her brother-in-law Giovan Battista and it was she who encouraged him to push ahead in his career until he became Pope Innocent X who reigned from 1644-1655.
I got a kick out of knowing that this woman Olympia was pulling strings from the back. The Church used to collect taxes from everyone then, and it was her who convinced Pope Innocent that it did not look right for the church to collect from the whore houses, so the family did, adding untold amounts to the family riches.
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One of the last rooms we saw was the Aldobrandini room, a place that looked like a massive garage for some reason. Years ago, there had been a massive blizzard that crushed the roof of the room. The walls were then concreted and remain so. It’s unpainted and quite contrary to the rest of the palace. This room is filled with insane pieces of artwork and garden statues moved from their other palaces.
There are two! Michelangelo Merisi aka “Caravaggio” paintings on the wall. Two!!!! One is “Magdalene” and the other, Rest on the Flight into Egypt”. The audio mentioned that once again, he used the same “lady” to portray both Magdalene and the Virgin Mary. You can imagine that each one could easily sell for millions. The Cardinal acquired them when the artist was on a downward spiral so you can say he had a good eye.
This room was telling to me in a way. It became obvious to me that the family is cash poor. You see, despite all the wealth displayed, there is a stipulation in the original will of the Cardinal/Pope that none of the artwork must ever be sold. They all had to remain in the family. I don’t think back in the 16th century they ever envisioned life now. I think the upkeep of the palace is crushing, otherwise that room would have been fixed. Selling just one of the small pieces of lesser art would solve a lot of their problems l believe.
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Is Palazzo Doria Pamphili worth visiting?
The Palazzo Doria Pamphili is most definitely worthy of a visit when in Rome. The artwork rivals what you see at the Vatican and other palaces. I’m not sure why it’s not as popular as the Borghese Palace for instance. It’s just as excellent, not to mention that it is right in the center of town. There are no lines to speak of and you can enjoy it at your own pace, like the gentlemen below who fell asleep while checking out the art. There you go, one more thing to do in Rome in addition to a walking food tour and checking out the Mouth of the Truth among others.
The Palazzo Doria Pamphili is located at:
Via del Corso, 305, Rome
Hours: 9AM till 7PM (last entry at 6PM)
Cost: €12 and €8 for under 26
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What do you think of the palazzo Doria Pamphili? Would you like to visit it or are you more likely to visit the more touristy places?
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This is amazing! I have never heard of it before and would love to visit one day. Rome, however, is not on the destination list in the near future….Thanks for the nice pictures.
It truly is amazing. I know how the list gets…so long, it’s hard to squeeze in repeat visits. Our list is super long too and will be a long time before making it back to places like Japan :-). Thanks for reading.
Whoa! Gorgeous stuff! Interesting comments about the cash-flow.
Absolutely grand. Boy, would l have liked to live there in its heyday. It must have been something. Yeah..there has to be a cash flow problem in my diagnosis :-).
These rooms are stunning and I would definitely visit. What an amazing collection,and to be able to see them unobstructed by 1,000’s of tourists! That alone is worth the price of admission. Love the back story.
It is absolutely wonderful to roam at your own pace. The Vatican etc take all the glory while this one is like the bastard child, but what a pity as it stands up against all of them. There were some people there, but not even 1/1000th size of what you expect. It felt so good. Fascinating history :-).
I think your biggest understatement is that the Palazzo Doria Pamphill is “worth a visit.” 🙂 If it were any place but Rome, it would be at the top of a “Must See” tourist list. Absolutely fantastic and it has me wondering what it would be like to grow up and live in a place like this filled with priceless works of art. The ruffles carved in marble that you pointed out were truly amazing (along with the mustache) and the Gallery of Mirros was magnificent. I can really appreciate why you’d want to stay there for hours! Thanks for introducing me to this amazing place and it will definitely be on my list when I visit Rome. Hope you’re enjoying your time with family, Kemi! Anita
You’re totally right! If it were anyplace but Rome, it would definitely be included on the must see list. It is so worth it. I can’t even begin to imagine growing up in such fab surrounding and if you look at the first picture, think of it in four sides..smack dab in the middle of prime real estate in Rome. Priceless!!!! I wonder if the current family roam the whole place every so often and admire it. The ruffles were so grand, l hardly noticed the mustache. Right you are, it is truly a great piece of art. I was bowled over by this place. The park is grand as well :-). I am having a swell time with the family. We have to keep on trucking :-).
I spent a month on my own exploring Rome in the fall of 2013. It was lovely and I saw so much. I remember I wandered past this Palazzo and even peaked into the courtyard to take a photo. I wish I had explored all the way inside! There is never enough time in Rome.
Oh Patty, you must have had a really lovely time in Rome for sure. I smiled when l read the part about taking the photo in the courtyard as we considered leaving after doing the same because it just looked kind of plain. So glad we didn’t as l would have never pictured the inside being so grand. I suppose if that is your regular house, you might not want all the fine stuff outside the house as well otherwise you might feel you were in a museum :-). There is never enough time for sure. I would love to spend more time there but having grown up there, Federico is not too keen on that…Haha, just goes to show you!!! Thanks for the comment.
What an amazing place! Extremely beautiful indeed and when I saw the first photo, I was sure that you’re going to say that it was a set in Game of Thrones 🙂 Pope Innocent doesn’t look like the most innocent person in the world either and makes me think that he could’ve given the characters in the series a run for their money with a bit of scheming of his own.
And the sleeping tourists photo is priceless! I don’t think that many people can brag about sleeping in that Palazzo, though and they now can! 🙂
I never thought of it that way. Sleeping in the palazzo..haha! You’re right, not many people can say that. Those 2 certainly can. It was no nice to be in a place that didn’t have a gazillion of people trying to get pictures and see the same things. A real hidden gem that deserves to be seen.
It does look like GOT from outside and l thought the same thing. I can’t even begin to put a price on how much that real estate is worth. It is dead center Rome, and for sure that Pope did not look innocent at all. He is definitely Blackadder..hahah. He looks so cunning, just like the character. 🙂
Oh wow, absolutely stunning. I’ve never heard of this place but in any other place than Rome this would be at the top of the highlights list. You’re right about that first statue, how did the artist carve such a delicate piece? Amazing.
Poor thing kind of gets lost in the shuffle which is really too bad. It is absolutely wonderful. I am awed overtime l see marble carved so delicately, most of the time from just one solid piece of hard marble. Insane, but thank heavens for the talents of old :-).
The intricacy and elaborateness of the rooms are astounding. I think I would tour Palazzo Doria Pamphil with my mouth continually open in amazement.
Haha! Sounds about right as that’s what we did. Tour with our mouths open :-). The hall of mirrors is just simply stunning!
I am disappointed I did not know about this place when we were in Rome it looks amazing, I would have loved to visit. Your pictures are beautiful thanks for sharing
Don’t feel bad Michele. Federico was born and bred in Rome and had never set foot in it as well and for all the times we’ve visited his family, this was the first time going there as l was looking for things outside the norm. Thanks for the compliment. :-).
What a great find…a private palace where the family still lives! Must’ve been awesome, especially very near Piazza Navona. What an intermarriageg it was!.
I can’t even begin to imagine waking up daily and being able to access all those fabulous rooms! The real estate value must be outstanding. Yep! no marriages out of love in those days :-). Practicality ruled.
Pinned! We eenjoyed a similar experience at Palazzo Colonna in Rome. Check it out!
Thanks Kristin. I will definitely check it out. We visit his family much more often now so l am always looking for new places to discover :-).
HI Kemkem! I am not really one for that much grandeur. To me, it is overkill. But I imagine that in person, it can be quite breath-taking. Thx for sharing.
I know what you mean by overkill. I imagine in those days though, it was probably normal for the people of that social class, maybe even underdone if one can imagine that. I don’t like too much frou frou stuff but that hall of mirrors, I would definitely have in my house. It was just simply stunning. What l wonder is how the living quarters of the family descendants that live there now looks :-). Thanks for reading.
We have recently been to Rome and visited the Pamphilj gallery, which was wonderful! One of the best things was that other tourists hadn’t discovered it, so it was like a private tour. The rooms were so sumptuous and the art work was amazing, helped by the great personal commentary from Jonathan, one of the family. We loved his story about roller-skating around the gorgeous rooms!
Absolutely recommended to see this place, where the paintings are still in the places they were hung when they were first acquired.
So interesting!
I am so glad you liked the Pamphilj. It’s incredible, and the best part like you say is that you practically have the whole place to yourself. It’s hiding in plain sight when you think of how central the location is. Absolutely gorgeous art collection. I always say it takes someone else ot help you appreciate home. Federico gets to see things he never did when he was growing up, unless it was for school trips.
I love the fact that you can recommend it without doubt like me. Extremely fun afternoon and do it now before it gets super crowded like the Vatican. Thanks so much for the comment :-).