Galleria Spada
Galleria Spada
4
Monday
8:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Wednesday
8:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Thursday
8:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Friday
8:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Saturday
8:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Sunday
8:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Tours & experiences
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Neighborhood: Regola
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles373 reviews
Excellent
141
Very good
133
Average
55
Poor
28
Terrible
16

joewS3789KM
South Bend, IN94 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Family
The employees of this galleria were the most rude and obnoxious we came across during our trip. From the initial entry, patrolling the area as if each person was likely to pocket a painting, to the Nona telling people they can’t stand and edit for the remainder of our group. The atmosphere really took away from what was a nice quiet smaller galleria.
Written June 22, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Hans
Kwadendamme, The Netherlands2,917 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2023 • Couples
The museum contains four rooms with great painting, mostly from Italian painters. Also are there some classicle era sculptures. When finished visiting, you are kindly invited to go to a central courtyard to have a look at an eye deceiving piece of architecture by Borromini. You are looking at a corridor but because the ceiling is going down and the floor up, the statue at the end looks miles away and man size high, in reality it is only 9 meters long and the statue only 80cm high. A great way of tricking the viewer.
Written March 31, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

GCW56
Priziac, France270 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
Another papal collection. They did so well off the backs of the poor, but at least left some wonderful painting collections. A wonderful collection of paintings, but do not miss the architectural masterpiece of the Borromini corridor. It isn't as long as you think, but the illusion is mathematically calculated to perfection. Three galleries in one day? Wonders in the mind and an empty stomach to be filled at Ditirambo!
Written March 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lesley S
Farnborough, UK297 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2023 • Couples
Very quiet gallery close to the banks of the Tiber. 3 rooms of paintings including Caravaggio, Titian and Artemisia Gentilesche. Don't miss Borromini's colonnade in the garden. No signage to the bathrooms, even on its door.
Written April 25, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

The Spanish Steps Apartment
Rome, Italy30,410 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2013 • Friends
This is a relatively small gallery, with the art displayed in the style of the 17th century, when much of the art collection was assembled by the Spada family -- which means the walls are packed full of paintings. A few are worthwhile -- several by Guido Reni and Artemisia Gentileschi stood out to me -- but all in all, the art is not the reason to visit this palazzo. The real attractions is Borromini's perspective, and it will knock your socks off. In a little courtyard, you'll find this amazing optical illusion: when your guide walks down the corridor, the illusion becomes apparent. Note they do not permit any photos of the gallery or the courtyard.
Written November 18, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

NinaPasz
Varese98 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2013 • Family
The palazzo itself is very beautiful. Description in our guide has promised illussions and interesting effects. It is really an art gallery with just one illussion. Walk along Tiber to reach this place was far more interesting than the gallery itself.

Rome has so much to offer so this place is seems rather dull...

Cashier Angela at the entrance firstly runs investigation on you (date of birth, nationality, show your passports!!!! without explaining what it is needed for) and then is super rude. Do I want to be exposed to this, given how unexceptional the exhibition is - sure answer - NO Way!

My advice is - focus on more interesting places where you can meet lovely, charming italians! You will certainly not find it here.
Written April 29, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jeeves1960
50 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2018
if you are close to Campo de' Fiori don't miss to visit Galleria Spada, you can see lot of wonderful picture in one of the most beutiful XVII century building bust most of all you can see the amazing Galleria Prospettica
Written January 7, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

higham
Bellevue, WA111 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2015 • Couples
If I hadn't seen "Forced Perspective"I would have graded this Museum as terrible.

A young woman guide escorted us to the courtyard Perspective, and another visitor shared some highlights of Borromini's work. The guide then showed us the staircase to the second floor but did not accompany us. They were setting up for an event. We attempted to turn right and a very loud, bossy, rude woman made it quite clear we couldn't go that way. So we turned left and she attempted to prevent our admission to the other three salons. Somehow we forged ahead only to be met by dark, unwelcoming exhibits totally lacking in any descriptions (we were never given a guide). When we told our experience to the cashier downstairs she insisted that all rooms except that one on the right were clearly open to the public. We tried unsuccessfully to convince her that her compatriot upstairs had a very different opinion. Rome has two many beautiful museums to even attempt a visit to this one.
Written February 16, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

pakabay
Adelaide, Australia2,141 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2018 • Friends
Built in 1540 and updated/modenised in 1632, the palazzo was home to Cardinals and was purchased by the Italian government in 1926.

It now houses a gallery with works by more than a dozen Italian artists.

The highlight for me is just off the courtyard, where one of the residents, Cardinal Spada, in 1632 commissioned Baroque architect Francesco Borromini to create an optical illusion, a forced perspective illusion where a vista appears to show diminishing columns lining a gallery. the gallery appears to go for 10's of meters with a lifesize sculpture at the end of the gallery. The "gallery" is in fact only 8 meters long and the "life size" sculpture is just 600mm high. It really is amazing.
Written January 13, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

KTGP
Adelaide, Australia5,904 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2016 • Couples
Palazzo Spada/ Palazzo Capodiferro houses Galleria Spada, four rooms of paintings dated 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, by Jan Brueghel the Elder, Titian, Artemesia Gentileschi, Guercino, Sebastiano Conca and Niccolò Tornioli to name but a few. The rooms themselves have beautiful ceilings and some frescoes, they also contain numerous statues, busts and antique furniture. The paintings are the collection of Cardinal Bernardino, with additional pieces by relatives.

The courtyard of Palazzo Spada/ Palazzo Capodiferro, contains the wonderful Borromini forced perspective gallery, an optical illusion. Created 1652-1653 by Francesco Borromini in conjunction with mathematician, Father Giovanni Maria of Bitonto. The corridor appears longer than its 9 metre length and the statue at the end seems taller than its 90 centimetre height. The whole effect is created by a rising floor, converging walls and descending ceiling, with the columns becoming gradually smaller towards the rear. The corridor is roped off at the viewing end, which is a shame, as visitors are not able to stand next to the statue, to truly appreciate what they are seeing.

Palazzo Spada/ Palazzo Capodiferro, was built by Cardinal Girolamo Capodiferro in 1548 by architect Bartolomeo Baronino. The facade and courtyard stuccoes were created in 1556 by two workshops, guided by Giulio Mazzoni and Diego of Flanders and the other by Tommaso del Bosco and Leonardo Sormani. The beautiful façade is located on Piazza Capo di Ferro. The first floor has nine widows, with eight niches between, containing statues of, Trajan, Pompey, Fabius Mazimus, Romulus, Numa, Claudius Marcellus, Julius Caesar and Augustus, with inscriptions relating to them on the third floor. Above the portal are the coat of arms of the Spada family flanked by Faith and Charity. The circular reliefs shows a dog sitting in front of a column aflame, this is Cardinal Capodiferro’s symbol. Bought by Cardinal Bernardino in 1632, he commissioned Francesco Borromini to restore it, while at the same time creating the Perspective Gallery. The palace was purchased by the State in 1927.

Some of the paintings are beautiful, as are the sculptures and Borromini’s Perspective Gallery totally messes with your head. If the €5 is considered to expensive for entry, at least have a look at the palaces magnificent façade on Piazza Capo di Ferro.

The following opening times taken from official website.
Open Wednesday - Monday 8.30am-7.30pm. Ticket office closes at 7pm.
Closed Tuesday, 1st January, 1st May & 25th December.
Free entry on the first Sunday of the month.
Written November 6, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Galleria Spada - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Frequently Asked Questions about Galleria Spada