Palazzo Farnese (Piacenza)
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- For other palaces with this name, see Palazzo Farnese (disambiguation).
Palazzo Farnese is a palace in Piacenza, Italy.
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[edit] History
The construction was begun on the behalf of Ottavio Farnese, Duke of Parma and Piacenza, and his wife Margaret of Austria, daughter of Emperor Charles V, who desired a residence in the city, where he could feel more secure thanks to the presence of a Spanish garrison. The new edifice was erected over a former fortress built by the Visconti in 1352, part of which can still be seen.
The initial project was devised by Francesco Paciotto, from Urbino, and works were entrusted to Giovanni Bernardo Della Valle, Giovanni Lavezzari and Bernardo Panizzari (Caramosino). The design was modified in 1568 by Jacopo Barozzi, better known as Vignola, who had also built the Villa Farnese at Caprarola (Latium) for another member of the family, cardinal Alessandro Farnese. The actual construction, however, made up only less than a half of Vignola's original project, and lacked much of the planned decorations: missing elements include part of the exterior framings, a large tower modelled on the ancient triumphal archs, on the façade, and a theater, in the inner court.
The construction in its current form was completed in 1602, under Duke Ranuccio I.
After the death of the last Farnese duke, in 1731, the Palace lived a period of decadence. It was recovered only starting from the early 20th century. Palazzo Farnese is currently perfectly restored in all its rooms, and houses an important series of museum and exhibitions.
[edit] Ducal Chapel
The Ducal Chapel (Cappella Ducale or Cappella Grande) was used by the family for its religious rites. It is a hall on square plan, turned into octagonal by the presence of four apses at the corners. The sides have the same length that the chapel's height up to to hemispherical dome. The chapel is decorated with lilies from the Farnese coat of arms and Mannerist masks portraying angels; other symbols (the unicorn, the starfish, the dolphins, the turtles) referring to the Ducal family appear in the large frieze.
[edit] Museums and exhibitions
- The Gallery (Pinacoteca). It is housed in the so-called "Duchess Apartments", in the first floor, and contains paintings from the 16th-17th once belonging to the Dukes' collections. The most important artwork is the Madonna with the Young St. John, by Sandro Botticelli.
- The Fasti Farnesiani ("Farnese's Splendours") Exhibitions
- Musum of the Italian Risorgimento
- Museum of Ancient Weapons, with 400 antique weapons and armours collected by the Piacentine nobleman Antonio Parma
- Museum of Coaches
- State Archives
- Collections of sculptures, frescoes, majolicas, glassworks, and epigraphs, with works from the 12th to the 17th centuries.
