The Palazzo Altieri is a palace with a museum in Oriolo Romano and the town’s biggest tourist attraction. The Galleria dei Papi displays portraits of all the popes through the ages.
Palazzo Altieri Oriolo Romano
Address, opening times and admission
Address: Piazza Umberto I – 01010 Oriolo Romano (Tel. +39 0699837145). Opening hours: 08:30 to 19:30. Closed: Monday. Entrance fee: 5 Euro (discount: 2,50 Euro).
History and description
The palace was built between 1578 and 1585. It was commissioned by Giorgio Santacroce, who wanted to turn it into the center of Oriolo.
The Palazzo Altieri looks relatively plain on the outside, but the interior is richly decorated with wall and ceiling paintings depicting Old Testament events.
Other frescoes depict estates that used to belong to the Altieri family itself.
In 1674 the palace was enlarged by Pope Clement X, himself a member of the Altieri family. One of the main attractions of the museum is Clement’s papal throne.
Galleria dei Papi
The east wing of the palace is occupied by the Galleria dei Papi (“Gallery of the Popes”). When the portraits of the popes in the Basilica of St. Paul outside the Walls in Rome were destroyed in a fire, the paintings in the Galleria dei Papi were used as examples for the new versions.
When one walks around the building on the left there is a beautiful park. The footbridge that used to connect the park to the palace is still there.
The Palazzo Altieri is one of the top 10 attractions in Oriolo Romano.