The Brera Picture Gallery, or Pinacoteca di Brera, is Milan’s main public art gallery. Consisting of a rich collection of artworks that represents over six centuries of European art, the museum is home to works by famous artists such as Rubens, Titian, Correggio and Anthony Van Dyck.
Housed in what was originally a 14th century monastery, it was later redesigned by the renowned architect Giuseppe Piermarini and is surrounded by a picturesque botanic garden and is a stunning museum in a beautiful setting. It is a must-see for those who have found a vacation rental in Milan.
The Palazzo Brera was once a convent that came into the possession of the Jesuits in the 16th century. However, when the Jesuits were disbanded in 1773, the palazzo remained the seat of the astronomical Observatory and the Braidense National Library, which had been founded by the Jesuits. The herbarium of the new botanical garden was added a year later and the buildings were the extended under Piermarini, who went on to become a professor at the Academy that was established on site in 1776.
Housed in what was originally a 14th century monastery, it was later redesigned by the renowned architect Giuseppe Piermarini and is surrounded by a picturesque botanic garden and is a stunning museum in a beautiful setting. It is a must-see for those who have found a vacation rental in Milan.
The Palazzo Brera was once a convent that came into the possession of the Jesuits in the 16th century. However, when the Jesuits were disbanded in 1773, the palazzo remained the seat of the astronomical Observatory and the Braidense National Library, which had been founded by the Jesuits. The herbarium of the new botanical garden was added a year later and the buildings were the extended under Piermarini, who went on to become a professor at the Academy that was established on site in 1776.
In order to educate the students of architecture, sculpture and various other arts who studied at the academy, they began to collect plaster casts after the Antique, a narrative common to art institutions all over Europe.
As with those institutions, these initial collections of sculptures used for educating students then grew and began to include paintings.
In the 19th century, the academy and the gallery that had grown up were formally separated and, eventually, the gallery was opened to the public.
Today, the Pinacoteca is the main public art gallery in Milan and an important and established cultural institution of the city.
As with those institutions, these initial collections of sculptures used for educating students then grew and began to include paintings.
In the 19th century, the academy and the gallery that had grown up were formally separated and, eventually, the gallery was opened to the public.
Today, the Pinacoteca is the main public art gallery in Milan and an important and established cultural institution of the city.
It is also home to one of the foremost collections of Italian paintings and, while there are paintings from other artists and parts of the world, is one of the best places to see the development of Italian art from the Middle Ages onwards, in particular. If you are visiting Milan, it is definitely one of the must-see attractions in the city!
