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Uffizi facts for kids

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Coordinates: 43°46′6.38″N, 11°15′21.24″E

Uffizi Hallway
A view of the hallway on the top floor.

The Uffizi Gallery (in Italian: Galleria degli Uffizi) is one of the oldest and most famous art museums in the world. It is located in Florence, Italy, inside a building called the Palazzo degli Uffizi. This name means "Palace of Offices," which tells you a bit about its history!

The Uffizi Gallery: A Palace of Art

The Uffizi Gallery is not just a place to see art; the building itself has a fascinating story. It started as a place for government offices and later became a world-renowned art museum.

How the Uffizi Building Started

In 1560, a powerful ruler named Cosimo I de' Medici, the Duke of Tuscany, wanted new office buildings for the government workers (called magistrates) in Florence. He hired a famous architect named Giorgio Vasari to design them. This is why the building is called the "Uffizi," meaning "offices."

After Vasari, other architects like Alfonso Parigi and Bernardo Buontalenti continued the work. The buildings were finally finished in 1581.

The Design of the Palace

The office buildings are made of two main parts. They face each other across a long courtyard. One end of the courtyard opens onto a town square, and the other end opens onto the River Arno.

Giorgio Vasari designed the end facing the river in a special way. It looks like a screen or a backdrop from an Ancient Greek theater. It has arches that perfectly frame the view of the river.

From Offices to Art Museum

Duke Cosimo I de' Medici had a big idea. He wanted to display the best artworks from his family's huge collection on the top floor of the new building. However, this plan didn't fully happen until his son, Francesco I, became ruler.

Francesco I also asked Bernardo Buontalenti to design a very special room. This room is known as the Tribune of the Uffizi. It's an octagonal (eight-sided) room that held many of the most important paintings.

In the past, wealthy young men would often travel around Europe on a "Grand Tour." The Tribune of the Uffizi was one of the most important places they wanted to see.

Opening to the Public

At first, people could only visit the gallery if they made a special "request." They had to ask politely to be shown around.

The last person from the Medici family to own the collection was Anna Maria Lodovica. She made an agreement with the city of Florence. Thanks to her, the Uffizi Gallery officially opened its doors to the public in 1765.

Today, the Uffizi is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Florence. It can get very busy, especially in July, when people sometimes wait for hours to get in! The art collection is so large that some pieces are now displayed in other museums in Florence, like the Bargello, which houses many statues.

Amazing Art Collections

The Uffizi Gallery is home to thousands of incredible artworks, mostly paintings and sculptures from the Renaissance period. Here are some of the famous paintings you can see there:

The museum also has famous ancient sculptures, like the Two Wrestlers.

Gallery

Related pages

Images for kids

  • Uffizi Gallery - Michelangelo painting "Tondo Doni"

    Visitors observing Michelangelo painting Doni Tondo. The Uffizi is one of the most visited art museums in the world, with about 2 million visitors each year.

  • Statues in Niches Outside the Uffizi Gallery, Florence

    Statues of important figures like Cosimo de' Medici and Andrea Di Cione (Orcagna) outside the Uffizi Gallery.

  • Uffizi Gallery hallway

    A view of a hallway inside the Uffizi Gallery. The walls were once covered with beautiful tapestries.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Galería Uffizi para niños

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