Renaissance arcaded courtyard of Palazzo Altemps in Rome 2026 with ancient marble sculptures of the Ludovisi Collection between the columns, painted loggia frieze above, golden-hour light, National Roman Museum site behind Piazza NavonaNational Roman Museum · Ludovisi Collection

Palazzo Altemps

The Ludovisi Collection of ancient sculpture — the Galatian Suicide, the Ludovisi Throne, Ares restored by Bernini — in a frescoed Renaissance palace one block behind Piazza Navona.

1–2 hours€15 combinedLudovisi CollectionBernini restorationsPiazza di Sant'Apollinare 46, 00186 RomaOpen on Map

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Palazzo Altemps is the most peaceful world-class sculpture museum in central Rome, hidden one block behind Piazza Navona. A late-15th-century palace bought by Cardinal Marco Sittico Altemps in 1568, it was opened in 1997 as the home of the Ludovisi Collection — over 100 ancient Greek and Roman sculptures assembled by Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi in the 1620s. The headline pieces are the dramatic Galatian Suicide, the refined Ludovisi Throne with the Birth of Aphrodite, and the seated Ludovisi Ares — restored in 1622 by a young Gian Lorenzo Bernini, who added the foot, the sword hilt and the Eros at its base. €15 combined ticket covers the National Roman Museum sites (Crypta Balbi is temporarily closed); walk-up almost always works.

📋 In This Guide

Duration

1–2 hours

Cost

€15 combined

Photos

Yes — no flash

Highlight

Ludovisi Throne

Why Visit Palazzo Altemps?

The Vatican Museums make you queue an hour and shuffle past the Laocoön with a thousand other people. Palazzo Altemps, ten minutes away on the other side of the Tiber, gives you the Ludovisi Throne, the Galatian Suicide and a Bernini-restored Ares — in frescoed Renaissance rooms, in almost total silence, for €15. It is probably the best quality-to-crowd ratio in Rome.

The Ludovisi Collection

One of the greatest private collections of antique sculpture ever assembled — saved for Italy by the state purchase of 1901 and reunited here in 1997.

Bernini at 24

The Ludovisi Ares was restored in 1622 by a 24-year-old Gian Lorenzo Bernini — a striking example of ancient marble completed by the young Bernini.

Frescoed Renaissance Rooms

The painted loggia by Antonio Viviani (1595) and the Egyptian Hall of Cardinal Altemps make the palace as remarkable as the sculpture inside it.

Empty in High Season

Even in August you can be alone with the Galatian Suicide. No queues, no booking, no shuffle — €15 well spent.

What to See Inside

The Galatian Suicide

The museum's most photographed sculpture. A Roman marble copy of a Hellenistic bronze (c. 230 BC), part of a celebratory monument set up at Pergamon by King Attalos I after defeating the invading Gauls. The chieftain holds his collapsing wife with one arm and plunges the sword into his own collarbone with the other — proud, doomed, breathtaking.

The Ludovisi Throne

A 5th-century BC Greek marble relief, probably the side of an altar, showing the Birth of Aphrodite: the goddess rising from the sea, supported by two attendants whose drapery clings to their bodies in the famous "wet folds" technique. One of the most refined Greek originals to survive in Rome.

The Ludovisi Ares — Bernini's Restoration

Hellenistic marble of the seated god of war, head bowed in contemplation. In 1622 the 24-year-old Gian Lorenzo Bernini restored the missing parts — the foot, the sword hilt and the small Eros at its base. The young Bernini's playful angel humanises the warrior god.

Grande Ludovisi Sarcophagus

A spectacular 3rd-century AD battle sarcophagus, probably for a young Roman general. The deep, almost free-standing relief shows Romans crushing barbarians in a chaotic swirl — one of the densest pieces of carved marble that survives from antiquity.

Painted Loggia

The upper-floor loggia frescoed by Antonio Viviani in 1595 with classical landscapes, mythological vignettes and trompe-l'œil architectural views — one of the finest late-Renaissance loggias preserved in Rome.

Egyptian Hall

Cardinal Marco Sittico Altemps's "Egyptian Theatre" of the 1580s, later filled with genuine Egyptian sculptures from the collection — a rare survival of Renaissance Egyptomania.

Sala del Camino & Family Chapel

The Sala del Camino, with its monumental fireplace, displays the most important Ludovisi pieces. Don't miss the Altemps family chapel of Sant'Aniceto — a small, perfectly preserved Counter- Reformation interior.

The Ludovisi Collection — A Closer Look

In 1621 a 26-year-old Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi, nephew of the newly elected Pope Gregory XV, used his sudden papal fortune to buy the vast Villa Montalto on the Pincian Hill. As workmen dug foundations and gardens, ancient sculptures kept surfacing — and Ludovisi turned the windfall into a deliberate project: assemble the greatest private antiquities collection in Europe.

Within five years he had over 100 first-rank Greek and Roman sculptures, including the Galatian Suicide (found in his garden), the Ludovisi Throne and the seated Ares. He commissioned the young Bernini to restore them and the painter Domenichino to display them in the villa.

The Ludovisi family kept the collection for nearly three centuries. In the 1880s, when the new Italian capital tore down the villa to build the Via Veneto district, the heirs began selling sculptures individually — pieces went to Berlin, Boston, Munich. To stop the haemorrhage, the Italian state bought the remaining 104 sculptures en bloc in 1901 for the National Roman Museum.

For nearly a century they were stored, partly displayed in the Baths of Diocletian, partly invisible. Only in 1997, with the opening of Palazzo Altemps, were they finally reunited in one building — and in a setting (a Renaissance cardinal's palace) very close to the one Cardinal Ludovisi had originally imagined.

Bernini at Palazzo Altemps

In 1622 — the year before he started the David — Gian Lorenzo Bernini, then 24, was hired by Cardinal Ludovisi to restore newly excavated ancient sculptures for his villa. It was a normal job for a sculptor of the time, but Bernini being Bernini, the restorations are anything but invisible.

On the Ludovisi Ares, Bernini added the right foot, parts of the sword hilt and the entire small Eros playing between the god's legs — a tender Baroque counterpoint to the Hellenistic warrior. The little angel, almost certainly entirely Bernini's invention, makes the whole composition click.

He also restored missing limbs on several other Ludovisi sculptures, and carved a new portrait bust of Cardinal Roberto Bellarmino — an early demonstration of the psychological intensity that would make him the greatest portraitist of the 17th century. All visible in the same museum, all covered by your combined ticket.

The Palace Itself

Most museums are buildings made to hold collections. Palazzo Altemps is the rare reverse: a Renaissance princely palace deliberately repurposed to recreate the world for which the Ludovisi sculptures were collected. The result is that here, alone in Rome, you see ancient marbles in something very close to the setting their 17th-century buyers imagined.

The arcaded courtyard by Martino Longhi the Elder (1570s), the painted loggia by Antonio Viviani (1595), the small theatre, the family chapel of Sant'Aniceto with the relics of an early Christian pope — all are essentially unaltered late- Renaissance interiors of Cardinal Marco Sittico Altemps. Allow time for the building, not only the sculptures.

Palazzo Altemps Through History

1477

Palazzo Riario Built

Girolamo Riario, nephew of Pope Sixtus IV, builds the original palace on the site of an ancient Roman district near the Stadium of Domitian (today's Piazza Navona).

1568

Cardinal Altemps Buys It

Cardinal Marco Sittico Altemps, nephew of Pope Pius IV, acquires the palace and commissions Martino Longhi the Elder to redesign it. The painted loggia and Egyptian Hall date from this campaign.

1595

Painted Loggia

Antonio Viviani frescoes the upper loggia with classical landscapes and trompe-l'œil — one of the finest late-Renaissance loggias surviving in Rome.

1621–1623

Ludovisi Begins Collecting

Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi, nephew of Pope Gregory XV, begins assembling ancient sculptures excavated on the family villa on the Pincian Hill — the start of one of the greatest private antiquities collections.

1622

Young Bernini Restores Ares

A 24-year-old Gian Lorenzo Bernini restores the Hellenistic statue of Ares for Cardinal Ludovisi — adding the sword hilt and the playful Eros at his feet, an early sign of his Baroque genius.

1885–1890

Pincio Estate Sold Off

The Ludovisi heirs sell the great Villa Ludovisi estate for development into the modern Via Veneto district. The collection is at risk of dispersal abroad.

1901

Italian State Acquires the Collection

To prevent the Ludovisi sculptures from leaving Italy, the new Italian state buys the entire collection — over 100 ancient statues — for the National Roman Museum.

1982

Palazzo Altemps Acquired

The Italian state buys Palazzo Altemps from the Holy See, which had owned it since 1801, with the plan of restoring it as a museum venue.

1997

Museum Opens

After fifteen years of restoration, Palazzo Altemps opens as the home of the Ludovisi Collection — a perfect marriage of Renaissance palace and ancient sculpture.

2014

National Roman Museum Combined Ticket

The four sites of the Museo Nazionale Romano are unified under a single combined ticket, dramatically improving value and visitor flow.

2022

New Lighting Installed

A complete LED relighting campaign transforms the Sala del Camino and the Sala di Galata, finally letting the Galatian Suicide and the Ludovisi Ares be photographed without flash.

2026

Calm Among the Crowds

While Piazza Navona just outside is shoulder-to-shoulder, Palazzo Altemps remains the quietest world-class sculpture museum in central Rome — €15, one block away.

Tickets & Hours 2026

🕐 Opening Hours

  • Tue–Sun: 09:00 – 19:00, last admission 18:00
  • Closed: Mondays, 1 January, 25 December
  • Free Sundays: First Sunday of each month
  • Hours can vary on holidays — check the official Museo Nazionale Romano site (museonazionaleromano.beniculturali.it).

💶 Combined Ticket

  • Full: €15 (valid one week from first admission)
  • Reduced: €2 (eligible visitors, e.g. EU 18–25)
  • Free: Under 18, 1st Sunday/month
  • Roma Pass: Free as one of two attractions
  • Audio guide: €5 (5 languages)

The combined ticket covers the National Roman Museum sites: Palazzo Altemps, Palazzo Massimo (the Discus Thrower, the Boxer at Rest, the Livia frescoes) and the Baths of Diocletian. Crypta Balbi is temporarily closed. The ticket is valid for one week from the date of first admission — not a single calendar day. Buy through the official ticket channel at museonazionaleromano.beniculturali.it. Note: the ground-floor Sala Gorga at Palazzo Altemps is temporarily inaccessible.

Information checked August 2026.

Best Time to Visit

Best of Day

09:00 right at opening — you can have entire rooms to yourself. Late afternoon (16:00–18:00) is also blissfully quiet.

Best Day

Tue–Fri are quietest. Avoid the first Sunday of the month (free entry brings local crowds). Closed Mondays.

Best Season

Year-round — perfect rainy-day stop in winter, blissfully cool refuge in August. Combine with nearby Caravaggio churches.

Visitor Tips

Bag check: Free cloakroom at reception — leave large bags and umbrellas there.

Photography: Allowed without flash, no tripods, no commercial use. Lighting is excellent since the 2022 LED upgrade.

Audio guide vs app: The €5 official audio guide is good but old. The free MNR Roma app on your phone gives a more modern tour.

Food: No café inside. Cross to Piazza Navona for coffee or to Via dei Coronari for excellent gelato.

Strollers: Allowed and easy thanks to the lift. Wheelchairs free at reception.

Combine smart: Use the same combined ticket for Palazzo Massimo (15-min Metro ride) the same day — together they form the best ancient sculpture itinerary in Rome.

Vs Other Sculpture Museums in Rome

MuseumStar PiecesCostBookingCrowds
Palazzo AltempsLudovisi Throne, Galatian Suicide, Ares (Bernini)€15 (combined)Walk-upVery low — calm even in August
Palazzo MassimoDiscus Thrower, Boxer at Rest, Livia frescoes€15 (same ticket)Walk-upLow
Capitoline MuseumsShe-Wolf, Dying Gaul, Marcus Aurelius€16RecommendedMedium–high
Vatican MuseumsLaocoön, Apollo Belvedere, Belvedere Torso€20+RequiredVery high — long queues
Borghese GalleryBernini's Apollo & Daphne, Pluto & Proserpina€15+Required (weeks ahead)Capped — calm but timed

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Coming on a Monday

Closed Mondays all year. Plan for Tue–Sun, ideally Tue–Fri for maximum calm.

Buying a single-site ticket

There isn't one — €15 is automatically the combined ticket for the National Roman Museum sites (Crypta Balbi temporarily closed). Use it for Palazzo Massimo the same day.

Skipping the upper floor

Most visitors stop at the Galatian Suicide. The painted loggia and Egyptian Hall upstairs are half the museum's magic.

Coming on free Sunday

First Sunday of the month is free — and crowded. Pay the €15 on a normal Tuesday and have the place to yourself.

Confusing it with Palazzo Massimo

Both are National Roman Museum sites. Altemps = behind Piazza Navona, Ludovisi sculptures. Massimo = near Termini, Discus Thrower and frescoes.

Using flash

Photography is allowed but flash is forbidden — and unnecessary since the 2022 lighting upgrade.

Colosseum & Forum Tickets Nearby

Palazzo Altemps is a perfect calm warm-up before the timed-entry giants. The Colosseum and Roman Forum are 15 minutes away by bus 87 along Corso Rinascimento — both require advance booking in 2026.

Colosseum Priority Entrance

Best for: First-time visitors

~2 hours

Skip-the-line access to the Colosseum with entry to Roman Forum and Palatine Hill included. Perfect for first-time visitors.

  • Skip-the-line entry
  • Colosseum access
  • Roman Forum included
  • Palatine Hill included

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Colosseum Guided Tour

Best for: History enthusiasts

~3 hours

Expert-led tour with professional guide sharing gladiator history, architecture secrets, and ancient Roman stories.

  • Professional English-speaking guide
  • Skip-the-line entry
  • In-depth historical commentary
  • Small group experience

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Colosseum Arena & Underground

Best for: Unique experience seekers

~3.5 hours

Walk where gladiators fought on the arena floor and explore the underground chambers where they awaited their fate.

  • Arena Floor access
  • Underground chambers access
  • Roman Forum & Palatine Hill
  • Expert guided tour included

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Pair Your Visit With

Piazza Navona

2-min walk — Bernini's Four Rivers Fountain on the site of the Stadium of Domitian, where Cardinal Altemps's father once jousted.

San Luigi dei Francesi

3-min walk — three free Caravaggios in the Contarelli Chapel, including the Calling of St Matthew. Bring €1 coins.

Pantheon

7-min walk — the best-preserved building of antiquity. Combine for an ideal half-day of ancient Rome and Renaissance Rome.

Highlights at a Glance

  • The Ludovisi Throne — 5th-century BC Greek relief of the Birth of Aphrodite
  • The Galatian Suicide — Roman copy of a Hellenistic bronze masterpiece
  • The Ludovisi Ares — Hellenistic statue restored by a young Bernini in 1622
  • Grande Ludovisi battle sarcophagus — 3rd-century AD high-relief virtuosity
  • Frescoed Renaissance palace rooms with painted loggia by Antonio Viviani
  • Egyptian Hall assembled by Cardinal Marco Sittico Altemps in the 1580s
  • €15 combined ticket covers the National Roman Museum sites (Crypta Balbi temporarily closed)
  • One of Rome's least-crowded major museums — peaceful, even in August

How to Get There

By Bus

Lines 30, 70, 81, 87, 130F, 186, 492, 628 stop on Corso Rinascimento (1-min walk). From Termini, bus 40 or 64 to Largo Argentina (8-min walk through Pantheon area).

By Metro

  • Spagna or Barberini (Line A): 15-min walk through the Tridente
  • No direct Metro — bus or walking is best from Termini

On Foot

From Piazza Navona: 2 min along Via di Sant'Apollinare. From the Pantheon: 7 min via Via Giustiniani. From Castel Sant'Angelo: 10 min across Ponte Umberto I. From Campo de' Fiori: 10 min via Corso Vittorio Emanuele.

Where to Stay Near Palazzo Altemps

Looking for convenient accommodation near Palazzo Altemps? Stay within walking distance to make the most of your visit.

Hotels Near This AttractionTop Rated HotelsBudget-Friendly OptionsLuxury HotelsCentral locations with easy access to Palazzo Altemps and other attractions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Palazzo Altemps in 2026?

Palazzo Altemps is a 15th-century Renaissance palace one block behind Piazza Navona, one of the National Roman Museum sites (Crypta Balbi is temporarily closed). It houses the world-famous Ludovisi Collection of ancient Greek and Roman sculpture in beautifully frescoed rooms — far less crowded than the Vatican Museums or Capitoline.

How much does it cost in 2026?

€15 full / €2 reduced combined ticket valid one week from first admission across the National Roman Museum sites — Palazzo Altemps, Palazzo Massimo and the Baths of Diocletian; Crypta Balbi is temporarily closed. Free for under-18s and on the first Sunday of each month. Roma Pass holders enter free as one of their two free attractions.

What are the opening hours?

Tuesday–Sunday 09:00–19:00, last admission 18:00. Closed Mondays, 1 January and 25 December. Best visiting windows in 2026 are 09:00–11:00 and 16:00–18:00. Most visitors spend 1–2 hours; allow 2 hours if you read the labels.

What are the must-see sculptures?

The Galatian Suicide (Roman copy of a Hellenistic bronze, c. 230 BC) — a Gallic warrior killing himself after his wife to avoid capture; the Ludovisi Throne (5th century BC Greek relief of the Birth of Aphrodite); the Ludovisi Ares (Hellenistic, restored by Bernini, who added the foot, the sword hilt and the Eros at its base); the Grande Ludovisi battle sarcophagus (3rd century AD); and the Egyptian Hall and painted loggia upstairs. Note that the ground-floor Sala Gorga is temporarily inaccessible.

What is the Ludovisi Collection?

Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi (1595–1632), nephew of Pope Gregory XV, assembled one of the greatest private collections of ancient sculpture ever — over 100 statues found on the family's vast estate on the Pincian Hill. The Italian state acquired it in 1901 to prevent dispersal abroad. It moved to Palazzo Altemps in 1997.

How is it different from Palazzo Massimo?

Both are National Roman Museum sites and share a ticket. Palazzo Altemps focuses on Renaissance princely collecting — the Ludovisi sculptures in frescoed palace rooms. Palazzo Massimo (near Termini) is the encyclopaedic site: the Discus Thrower, the Boxer at Rest, the Livia frescoes from Prima Porta, and the largest collection of ancient mosaics. Visit both with the same combined ticket.

Do I need to book in advance?

No, walk-up tickets are almost always available — Palazzo Altemps is one of Rome's least-crowded major museums. You can buy at the door or online through the official Museo Nazionale Romano ticket portal (museonazionaleromano.beniculturali.it). Booking is only useful on free Sundays (first of the month) when queues form.

Is Palazzo Altemps accessible?

Yes — there is a lift to all floors and step-free access throughout. Wheelchairs are available free at reception. Audio guides exist in English, Italian, French, Spanish and German for €5.

How do I get there?

Bus 30, 70, 81, 87, 130F, 186, 492, 628 to Corso Rinascimento (1-min walk) or 40, 64, H to Largo Argentina (8-min walk). Nearest Metro is Spagna or Barberini (Line A, 15-min walk). On foot: 2 min from Piazza Navona, 7 min from the Pantheon, 10 min from Castel Sant'Angelo.

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Quick Planning Guide

⏱️ Time Needed

1–2 hours

💰 Cost

€15 combined ticket (Crypta Balbi temporarily closed)

🎫 Reservation

Walk-up almost always works

♿ Accessibility

Lift, step-free, wheelchairs at reception

📅 Best Time

09:00–11:00 or 16:00–18:00

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family Friendly

Yes — calm, dramatic sculptures

🌡️ Weather

Indoor — perfect rainy-day stop

Nearby Attractions

Piazza Navona

2-min walk

San Luigi dei Francesi — Caravaggios

3-min walk

Sant'Agostino — Caravaggio

1-min walk

Pantheon

7-min walk

Castel Sant'Angelo

10-min walk

Campo de' Fiori

10-min walk

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