Rospigliosi Museum and Diocesan Museum
17th-century furnishings and sacred art artifacts in the halls of Rospigliosi Palace in Pistoia
Palazzo Rospigliosi (Rospigliosi Palace), in Pistoia, is an ancient noble building that stands on the first circle of walls and was purchased by the illustrious Rospigliosi family in the 16th century. The last descendant, Clemente Rospigliosi, bequeathed it to the Bishop’s Curia along with the paintings and furnishings that it contained.
The main floor houses the Clemente Rospigliosi Museum. On display, virtually intact, is the furniture of the 17th-century papal apartment that was allegedly set up precisely when Giulio Rospigliosi, or Pope Clement IX, came to town. The pontiff's bedroom stands out, furnished with a large canopy bed in red damask. Also of great interest is the 16th- and 17th-century painting collection, which includes works by artists such as Giacinto Gimignani, Sebastiano Vini and Lorenzo Lippi.
The Diocesan Museum, in the halls adjoining the Rospigliosi Museum, keeps religious works and liturgical furnishings from the churches of the Diocese of Pistoia, whose chronological arrangement makes it possible to follow the evolution over time of the styles of the creation of sacred objects. The exhibition itinerary unfolds in eight halls that showcase silverware, statues, vestments and paintings from the Pistoia school.
The Rospigliosi Museum and the Diocesan Museum are temporarily closed.
