Ducal Palace, Urbino, Italy

The Ducal Palace (Palazzo Ducale) of Urbino is one of the masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance and the symbol of this hilltop town in the Marche. It was built from the 1450s for Duke Federico da Montefeltro, a successful condottiere and patron of the arts, by the architects Luciano Laurana and Francesco di Giorgio Martini. Its west facade with two slender towers, the Torricini, overlooks the valley, and its arcaded Courtyard of Honour is a model of Renaissance harmony. The historic centre of Urbino has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998.

Today the palace houses the National Gallery of the Marche (Galleria Nazionale delle Marche), with masterpieces such as Piero della Francesca’s Flagellation of Christ and Madonna di Senigallia, the mysterious Ideal City panel and Raphael’s portrait La Muta. Raphael was born in Urbino in 1483, and his birthplace is a few minutes away. The highlight of the palace is the Studiolo of Federico da Montefeltro, a small study lined with inlaid wood panels that create the illusion of open cupboards, books and instruments.

Visitor Information

Allow two to three hours for the visit. A lift serves the building up to the second floor, and large bags and backpacks must be left in the cloakroom. An official audio guide in four languages is available online, and the views from the windows over the hills of Montefeltro are a highlight in themselves.

A ticket costs €12; EU citizens aged 18–25 pay €2, under-18s enter free, and admission is free for everyone on the first Sunday of the month. A combined ticket with the Rocca of Gradara costs €16. The palace is open Tuesday to Sunday from 8:30 to 19:15 (last tickets at 18:15); on Mondays it is closed, except for afternoon openings from 15:00 to 19:00 in summer. It is closed on 25 December and 1 January.

The palace is on Piazza Rinascimento in the centre of Urbino. Urbino has no railway station: the nearest is Pesaro, on the Bologna–Ancona line, from where Adriabus buses reach Urbino in about 50 minutes. Drivers can park at Borgo Mercatale below the palace and walk up the spiral ramp built by Francesco di Giorgio Martini or take the lift.