Rome's Palazzo Barberini hosting the national gallery of ancient art is to get 700 sq m of new exhibition space under an agreement signed by the culture and defence ministers on Thursday.
Under the deal Defence Minister Roberta Pinotti has agreed
to return rooms in the 17th-century palace occupied by the
ministry for decades.
The rooms, including the throne room containing a large
painting by Baroque artist Mattia Preti, will be open to the
public "in a year" following restoration, Culture Minister Dario
Franceschini said.
They will however be available to the defence ministry for
ceremonial use if necessary.
Restoration will cost in the region of 1.8 million euros.
"It truly is an important day, the demonstration of the
government's willingness to invest in culture," Franceschini
said.
Palazzo Barberini, whose collection contains masterpieces
by Caravaggio, Canaletto, Guercino, El Greco, Pietro da Cortona
and Tintoretto among others, is one of 20 museums across Italy
to have gained autonomous status under the reorganization of the
country's museum system last year.
The palace was begun in 1624 by architect Carlo Maderno for
Pope Urban VII, a member of the Barberini family.
Gianlorenzo Bernini and Francesco Borromini also worked on
the project while Pietro da Cortona helped with the
architectural design and painted the ceiling fresco in the
palace's main hall.
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