Piazza Venezia
Rome, Italy
Doria Pamphilj Gallery, Rome
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Photo: antmoose, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Ticket
- ≈ €16–18, audio guide usually included
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Opening hours
- Daily ≈ 9:00–19:00
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 1 h 30 min
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Highlights
- Velázquez's Innocent X, Caravaggio, Hall of Mirrors
- Unusual
- A private palace the family still lives in
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Location
- Via del Corso 305; 3 minutes from Piazza Venezia
Key facts
1650Velázquez painted Pope Innocent X Pamphilj
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English WikipediaBerninia marble bust of the same pope stands nearby
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English WikipediaCaravaggioRest on the Flight into Egypt and Penitent Magdalene
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English WikipediaPrivatethe collection still belongs to the Doria Pamphilj family
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English Wikipedia18th centurythe Hall of Mirrors, a Versailles-style ballroom
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English WikipediaTickets, hours and the audio guide
The gallery opens daily from about 9:00 to 19:00, and tickets cost around €16–18, usually including an audio guide narrated by Prince Jonathan Doria Pamphilj himself — a rare chance to tour a collection with its owner, full of family anecdotes. Check the official site for current prices; queues are rare.
About the gallery
Palazzo Doria Pamphilj is one of Rome's largest private palaces, filling a whole block between Via del Corso and Piazza del Collegio Romano. It belongs to the Doria Pamphilj family, descended from Pope Innocent X and the Genoese admirals Doria, who still live in part of it. The state rooms house the gallery.
Assembled from the 17th century, the collection is hung as palace galleries once were — frame to frame, floor to ceiling, amid gilding, chandeliers and furniture. It's a rare glimpse of how Roman aristocrats lived and collected.
Velázquez's Innocent X
The gallery's crown is Diego Velázquez's Portrait of Pope Innocent X (1650): the pope sits in red, his gaze sharp and suspicious. He is said to have called it 'troppo vero' — too true. Many regard it as the greatest portrait ever painted; Francis Bacon based a whole series on it. It hangs in its own cabinet beside Bernini's marble bust of the same pope, so you can compare how two geniuses saw one man.
What to see
- Velázquez's Innocent X — in its own cabinet.
- Bernini's bust of Innocent X — beside the portrait.
- Caravaggio — Rest on the Flight into Egypt and Penitent Magdalene.
- Raphael — Double Portrait.
- Titian, Correggio, Parmigianino, Brueghel — along the galleries.
- Hall of Mirrors — an 18th-century ballroom of mirrors and gilt.
- Private apartments — some rooms open on guided tours.
Caravaggio and more
Two early Caravaggios hang here: the Rest on the Flight into Egypt, with an angel playing the violin while Joseph holds his music, and the Penitent Magdalene, said to use the same model as the Virgin. Nearby are Raphael's Double Portrait, works by Titian, Correggio and Parmigianino, and landscapes by Brueghel and Claude Lorrain. The galleries run round an inner courtyard; the most dazzling is the Hall of Mirrors, lined with ancient statues under a painted vault.
How to get there
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Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
On foot
- Piazza Venezia is about 6 min away on foot.
- Sant'Ignazio is about 3 min away on foot.
- Church of the Gesù is about 4 min away on foot.
More tips
- Walk from Piazza Venezia — 3 minutes along Via del Corso.
- From the Pantheon — 7 minutes.
- From Sant'Ignazio — 2 minutes.
- Buses 62, 63, 81, 85 and 160 stop on the Corso.
Is it worth visiting?
Yes, for painting lovers: Velázquez at his peak, Caravaggio and Raphael, all in the atmosphere of a lived-in palace and without crowds. It's one of Rome's most underrated museums, right in the centre on the Corso. Allow 1.5–2 hours, and take the audio guide.
Before you go
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Rome's museums: compare and choose
Museums in Rome rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.
| Sistine Chapel | 64 | 30 min | Vatican Museums ticket ≈ €25 | 40 min walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castel Sant'Angelo | 57 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ €15–20 | 24 min walk |
| Domus Aurea | 49 | 1 h 15 min | ≈ €18, with VR ≈ €26 | 24 min walk |
| Ara Pacis | 47 | 1 h | ≈ €13–15 | 19 min walk |
| San Luigi dei Francesi | 47 | 20 min | Free | 10 min walk |
| Galleria Borghese | 45 | 2 h | ≈ €18 | 36 min walk |
| Vatican Museums | 44 | 3 h | ≈ €25 | 42 min walk |
| Capitoline Museums | 43 | 2 h 30 min | ≈ €15–19.50 | 9 min walk |
| Baths of Diocletian | 42 | 1 h | Basilica free; museum ≈ €10–12 | 27 min walk |
| Galleria Doria Pamphiljyou are here | 39 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ €16–18 | — |
| Palazzo Farnese | 39 | 1 h 15 min | Paid, booking only | 16 min walk |
| Imperial Fora | 38 | 1 h | Free from the street; museum ≈ €13–15 | 9 min walk |
| Palazzo Barberini | 37 | 2 h | ≈ €15 | 17 min walk |
| Villa Farnesina | 37 | 1 h | ≈ €12 | 21 min walk |
| Palazzo Massimo | 34 | 2 h | ≈ €10–12 combined ticket | 25 min walk |
| MAXXI | 32 | 2 h | ≈ €12–15 | 3.6 km |
| Ostia Antica | 31 | 3 h | ≈ €12–18 | 22.6 km |
The Corso, Venezia to Popolo
Piazza Venezia, the Doria Pamphilj Gallery, then a stroll along Via del Corso to Piazza del Popolo.
- Piazza Venezia20 min · Free
- 3 min walk from the previous stopGalleria Doria Pamphiljyou are here1 h 30 min · ≈ €16–18
- 17 min walk from the previous stopVia del Corso1 h · Free
- 9 min walk from the previous stopPiazza del Popolo30 min · Free
4 places · about 3 h 49 min with walks · 29 min on foot in total
Nearby and on the way
How to do it right
- The audio guide is voiced by the prince.
- Velázquez and Bernini's bust hang side by side.
- Paintings are hung floor to ceiling.
- 3 minutes from Piazza Venezia.
Questions
How much is the Doria Pamphilj Gallery?
About €16–18, usually with the audio guide.
What are the opening hours?
Daily around 9:00–19:00.
What are the highlights?
Velázquez's Portrait of Innocent X, Bernini's bust, Caravaggio, Raphael and the Hall of Mirrors.
Where is it?
Via del Corso 305, 3 minutes from Piazza Venezia.
Is it a private museum?
Yes — the collection belongs to the Doria Pamphilj family, who live in the palace.
How long do you need?
1.5–2 hours.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- Galleria Doria Pamphilj official website
- English Wikipedia, Galleria Doria Pamphilj and Portrait of Innocent X
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