Vatican Pinacoteca
The Vatican Art Gallery (Pinacoteca) has been part of the Vatican Museums since 1932 when, at the behest of Pope Pius XI, the building was built to house the art gallery. Inside are the works by artists such as Raphael, Caravaggio, Leonardo and Giotto.
The history of the Pinacoteca
In the past the works owned by the Vatican were often moved between the various apostolic palaces. Architect Luca Beltrami designed a building that would enhance the many Vatican works.
In 1790, Pius VI owned 118 works, but after the Treaty of Tolentino some of the main masterpieces were transferred to Paris. Some works were returned after the Congress of Vienna and, thanks to numerous donations, the collection has reached its present number of about 460 paintings.
The rooms of the Pinacoteca
The Vatican Art Gallery is made up of 18 main rooms where the works are displayed in chronological order according to the school to which they belong.
The first room is dedicated to Italian artists of the Middle Ages, the second to Giotto, while the third houses works by Filippo Lippi and Beato Angelico.
The following rooms contain paintings from the 15th century.
The most important and visited rooms are:
- Room VII with works by Perugino;
- Room VIII with works by Raphael;
- Room IX with works by Leonardo;
- Room X with Venetian paintings;
- Room XII with works by Caravaggio.
