Galleria degli Uffizi – see a showcase of Renaissance art

The Uffizi Gallery is simply the world’s greatest collection of Italian art. As such, the gallery is both a feast for the senses and an indigestible banquet. The Uffizi has recently been revamped, with seven new rooms displaying works by Botticelli and other Early Renaissance artists. Botticelli’s Rebirth of Venus and Primavera have had a rehang, allowing for more space around the works, as well as for thematically linked works to be displayed nearby. Long-hidden works have come out of the Uffizi storehouses, along with newly acquired works, such as a huge Botticelli Annunciation, painted for the Hospital of San Martino in via della Scala. The Uffizi was once the administrative nerve centre of the Tuscan grand duchy, reinforcing the chain of command between the Palazzo Vecchio, the Medici power-base, and the court at the Pitti Palace. Under Francesco de Medici (1541-87), one floor became a gallery designed to showcase the glory of the ruling Medici. On display are paintings from Giotto to Botticelli, Piero della Francesca, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Titian and Caravaggio. Since most visitors come to see the Early Renaissance works, the High Renaissance rooms are far more peaceful. Expect crowds in the Leonardo da Vinci room, which pays tribute to the greatest genius of the age, the master of the High Renaissance style. What you choose to be moved by will depend on your mood.

Address: Piazzale degli Uffizi, Florence
Web: www.uffizi.it