Museo di Palazzo Ducale

The Doge's Palace, built by Federico da Montefeltro (lord of Urbino) in the 15th century incorporating old buildings, consists of two main buildings that overlook the internal courtyard. Inside there is an archaeological museum and important exhibitions are set up

What a disappointment this Doge's Palace ... Externally it is excellently preserved but unfortunately inside the various works it contains are diminished by a meaningless and careless exhibition. Most of the walls have been painted with a very sad white and the various works "placed" on top in bulk. They should call "someone good" who with professionalism and passion can return the building to its former glory. Let me know when I can best re-evaluate the three stars given.

Five stars are not enough! The Ducal Palace of Gubbio, reborn in recent years and cared for with great dedication and ability, is an example of excellence in our cultural heritage and has a truly fascinating history. Built in Renaissance style by the will of Federico da Montefeltro, the Palazzo stands out from the buildings of the time for a series of features that make it unique. The internal courtyard, inevitable in Renaissance noble residences, does not have a regular shape (rectangular or square) but a trapezoidal one: this depends on the fact that the Palace was built in an already delimited space, connecting buildings from the Middle Ages and incorporating the city square . Having to respect spaces and structures, it was not possible to equip the residence with a complete porch. Francesco di Giorgio, who was entrusted with the work, made use of an already consolidated but no less ingenious solution: the arcades run on three sides of the courtyard while on the fourth side - the wall of a building, therefore unalterable - a row of corbels was created. . Apparently inhomogeneous and asymmetrical - the trapezoidal shape required that each side have a different number of arches - this courtyard is actually the mathematical result of the repetition of the number 33.5, that is the measure of the Urbino foot (in the photo), which Federico da Montefeltro took and on which stands the FE DVX monogram, now also the official logo of the Museum. As typical of medieval cities, on the square (which later became a courtyard) there was a fountain, the so-called Fonte dell'Arengo, the subject of a recent reconstructive hypothesis visible inside the Palace, together with what remains of the monument, dismantled and dispersed during the epoch. ancient. The studiolo deserves a special mention, masterfully reconstructed in the 2000s (the original is in the USA) and full of symbolic meanings. The iconographic project is explained through a multimedia device that provides both explanations and reconstructions and the music of the time, performed with the instruments depicted on the walls of this precious wooden casket. This project, curated by the Museum in collaboration with various universities and local authorities, is added to the other equally accurate educational equipment (both digital and analog) that accompany the visitor in his exploration of the Palace.

A place rich in history, of very good artistic depth. Clearly it recalls the art of Urbino, as perfectly testified by the amazing study in carved wood. The intertwining with contemporary art is very pleasant, the work of Pomodoro on display there is noteworthy.