Palazzo Besta

About the museum

Palazzo Besta was built, incorporating existing buildings, from the second half of the 15th century at the behest of Azzo I Besta, who died in 1508 before the work was completed. His son Azzo II and his wife Agnese Quadrio gave impetus to the painted decoration and turned the palace into a Renaissance court that hosted artists, men of letters and philosophers.

The palace remained in the Besta family until 1726. At the end of the 19th century the property was divided among several families and converted into a farmhouse; it was bought by the Italian State in 1911 and opened to the public as a museum from 1927.

The main façade is articulated over two floors, and the Renaissance stone portal leads to a square courtyard surrounded by two orders of arcades; the upper loggia is decorated with frescoes depicting scenes from the Aeneid. Inside, 16th-century fresco cycles on biblical, mythological and historical subjects follow one another, including the Sala della Creazione with the Stories of Genesis and a “pallioforme” planisphere showing the world known in the mid-16th century. Four typical Valtellina stüe are also present.

On the ground floor is the Antiquarium Tellinum, a collection of incised prehistoric stelae from the Copper Age (3rd millennium BC), found in Teglio from 1940 onwards.

Highlights

• Courtyard with a frescoed loggia showing scenes from the Aeneid
• Sala della Creazione with the Stories of Genesis
• 16th-century “pallioforme” planisphere
• Valtellina stüe
• Antiquarium Tellinum with Copper Age stelae
• Tablet with visit app

Permanent exhibition

• Palazzo Besta e Antiquarium Tellinum – 16th-century fresco cycles, Valtellina stüe and a collection of Copper Age stelae.

Founded

1927

Operated by

Ministero della Cultura – Direzione regionale Musei nazionali Lombardia

Visitors per year

approx. 9,912

Admission & discounts

Cashless payment only (debit or credit cards). Tickets can be bought on the Musei Italiani platform or with the app. The full list of free admissions is on the website of the Ministry of Culture.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits
• Sign language tours
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The palace is only partially accessible to people with mobility impairments: the ground floor, the garden and the first floor can be visited (the first floor is reached by a platform lift operated by staff). Along the route there are tactile panels, raised-line drawings and audio-video guides in LIS and ISL (Musei Polisensoriali project).

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

By car from the SS 38 (from the south: Milan–Lecco–Colico–Sondrio–Tresenda–Teglio) or from the SS 39 of the Aprica.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit