Gallerie d'Italia – Vicenza
Intesa Sanpaolo museum in the baroque Palazzo Leoni Montanari, with eighteenth-century Venetian painting and a large collection of Russian icons.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The palazzo was built from 1676 for Giovanni I Leoni Montanari, whose fortune derived in part from his maternal grandfather, a textile producer and merchant, in the heart of Vicenza's historic centre, near the Dominican church of Santa Corona. Between the late 17th and the 18th century the interiors were reworked to the family's taste; at the beginning of the 19th century the baroque layout was modified in Neoclassical and then Eclectic forms. The palazzo is known for its stuccoes, frescoes and sculptures, by, among others, Andrea Paraca, Orazio and Angelo Marinali, Giuseppe Alberti and Louis Dorigny.
After various changes of ownership in the 19th century, in 1908 the building was bought by the Banca Cattolica Vicentina; today it is part of the historic and artistic heritage of the Intesa Sanpaolo Group. In 1999 the palazzo opened to the public as the first exhibition venue of the Gallerie d'Italia, the bank's museum network.
The permanent route includes the section “Realtà e incanto”, devoted to eighteenth-century Venetian art, with views by Canaletto, Carlevarijs, Guardi, Marieschi and Zuccarelli, the scenes of Venetian life by Pietro Longhi and the sculpture Caduta degli angeli ribelli (Fall of the Rebel Angels) by Francesco Bertos. The second core is the collection of Russian icons, 462 panels from the Middle Ages to the modern period, including two panels from Novgorod of the 13th century, considered among the most important in the West. One room is devoted to the works of the sculptor Arturo Martini.
Highlights
- Baroque palazzo with stuccoes and frescoes, including the Salone di Apollo
- Collection of 462 Russian icons, among the most important in the West
- Views by Canaletto, Guardi and Carlevarijs and scenes of life by Pietro Longhi
- Caduta degli angeli ribelli by Francesco Bertos, carved from a single block of marble
- Route devoted to Arturo Martini in the Sala dei Fauni
Permanent exhibitions
- Realtà e incanto: l'arte veneta del Settecento – Views by Canaletto, Carlevarijs, Guardi, Marieschi and Zuccarelli, scenes of Venetian life by Pietro Longhi and the sculpture by Francesco Bertos with over sixty figures carved from a single block of marble.
- Vedere l'invisibile: le icone russe – 462 icons from the Middle Ages to the modern period from the schools of Moscow, Novgorod, Vladimir, Tver' and Pskov, in a display devoted to Orthodox spirituality.
- Vitalità del tempo – Arturo Martini – Fourteen works by the sculptor Arturo Martini of Treviso in the Sala dei Fauni, including two versions of the Pisana.
- Founded
- 1999
- Operated by
- Intesa Sanpaolo
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €5 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €3over 65s, groups of at least 15 participants, holders of certain cards and of tickets from other partner venues |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 25 · Free admission for visitors under 26. |
| Seniors | €3Over 65: reduced rate. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Free admission for one person with disabilities and one companion. |
| Students & apprentices | freeFree for under-26s and for students of cultural heritage, fine arts academies, archaeology, art history, architecture, education sciences and DAMS. |
| Groups (15+ people) | €3 per personGroups of at least 15 participants: reduced rate. One companion for every group of at least 10 people enters free of charge. |
Free admission: Admission is free for all visitors on the first Sunday of every month.
Online booking recommended; tickets can also be bought at the ticket office at the entrance. Free admission also for customers and employees of the Intesa Sanpaolo Group, school groups, teachers, journalists, tourist guides, ICOM members, holders of the Vicenza Card and other categories listed on the website.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The museum offers a tactile route and activities dedicated to accessibility. For special itineraries or support for people with motor, cognitive and sensory disabilities, you can write to vicenzaaccessibile@gallerieditalia.com.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 25 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Baby changing facilities
The museum offers free educational activities for schools and families, to be booked. A Junior Card can be collected free of charge during the visit. Changing tables are available.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Contrà delle Canove
Bus: line 30, stop Contrà delle Canove; lines 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 and 10, stop Contrà Vittorio Veneto.
By car
Nearby car parks: Park Fogazzaro and Park Canove.
By car: exit at Vicenza Est or Vicenza Ovest and follow the signs for the historic centre.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
- Coat check
- Wi-Fi
Free cloakroom for umbrellas, backpacks and large bags. Free Wi-Fi with registration during opening hours. The bookshop offers art publications, design objects and products linked to the collections.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The visit can be made independently with the Gallerie d'Italia app or with a cultural mediator, to be booked by individual visitors and groups. Educational activities for schools and families are free and must be booked on the toll-free number +39 800 167 619 or by e-mail. |
