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Palazzo Chigi is in the historic center of Ariccia (RM), in the heart of the Colli Albani regional park. A unique example of a Baroque residence that has remained unchanged over the centuries – including its furnishings. It was originally built by the Savelli family in the mid-1500s, along with the large park that surrounds it.

In 1661, it was purchased by the Chigi family, and between 1664 and 1672 it was restored and enlarged by Carlo Fontana, probably following Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s vision (designer of the “Piazza di Corte”, overlooked by this building). It all happened on behalf of Pope Alexander VII (1655-1667).
The property witnessed some warfare during the Roman Republic – between 1798 and 1799 – and again during the Second World War. In 1988, it was purchased by the Municipality of Ariccia, which turned it into a museum.

The palace

It extends for about 21.500 square feet. On the ground floor, there the private quarters of Cardinal Flavio Chigi, consisting of nine rooms with the original seventeenth-century furniture, and an exhibition of some works of the true masters of Roman Baroque, including Baciccio and Savator Rosa.

On the first “noble” floor, twenty rooms house paintings and sculptures by many artists of that time, including Bernini. The second floor is divided into two museum areas: one houses temporary exhibitions, while the second serves as the Museum of the Roman Baroque, including French and Flemish masterpieces.

This building has been the set for many famous films, including Luchino Visconti’s “The Leopard”, and “l’Avaro”, starring Alberto Sordi.

The park

The surviving part of the ancient forest dedicated to the goddess Diana, and therefore to hunting, covers 70 acres, and it’s surrounded by walls. Rich with century-old trees, it features caves, fountains, ancient ruins, a snow hut, and a seventeenth-century aviary.

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