Piazza Farnese
Piazza Farnese is one of the narrated stops on the self-guided Rome audio walking tour in Gingerguide. Plan about ~35 min here. Press play at the spot for its two to three minute story, or ask the AI guide anything about it.
- Type palace
- Suggested visit ~35 min
- Rome Rome guide
About Piazza Farnese
An elegant Renaissance square in the heart of Rome dominated by the magnificent Palazzo Farnese, the greatest Renaissance palace in the city, now the French Embassy, designed by Michelangelo.
Piazza Farnese is one of the most elegant and harmonious squares in Rome, a calm, relatively car-free oasis between the Campo de' Fiori and the Tiber, dominated by the vast Renaissance bulk of the Palazzo Farnese. Two identical granite fountains, their basins made from the baths of Caracalla, sit in the piazza facing the palazzo.
The Palazzo Farnese is the greatest Renaissance palace in Rome and one of the finest in the world. It was begun in 1517 by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger for Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, who became Pope Paul III in 1534 and used the enormous building funds of the papacy to complete it on an even grander scale. After Sangallo died in 1546, Michelangelo took over and added his signature third floor and the dramatic projecting cornice that defines the facade. Giacomo della Porta completed it after Michelangelo's death.
The interior contains frescoes by Annibale and Agostino Carracci (1597–1608) in the Galleria Farnese, considered the greatest ceiling decoration in Rome after the Sistine Chapel. The palazzo is now the French Embassy; guided tours are available on limited days.
Did you know? France has leased the Palazzo Farnese as its embassy since 1874 for just €1 per year, a 100-year renewable lease that makes it one of the most extraordinary real estate arrangements in history.
How long should you spend at Piazza Farnese?
Plan about ~35 min at Piazza Farnese. That is enough to take it in and hear its narrated story; stay longer if it grabs you. The tour is self-guided, so there is no rush.
Is Piazza Farnese worth visiting?
Piazza Farnese is one of the 47 sights the Gingerguide team researched and narrated in Rome, so it earns a place on a self-guided walk. Its story explains why it matters, and you can ask the AI guide anything the story leaves open.
Nearby stops in Rome
Hear the story of Piazza Farnese
Preview the Rome tour free in the Gingerguide app.