High above the bustling Piazza delle Erbe, where Roman senators once debated, a Baroque palace crowned with marble gods houses one of Italy's most surprising modern art collections.

Welcome to Palazzo Maffei, where Verona's layered history reveals itself in stone and art. Perched on the northwest side of Piazza delle Erbe, this palace rises from the remains of the ancient Roman Capitoline Hill.

Behind its theatrical 17th-century facade, crowned with six divine statues gazing over the piazza, lies a museum that bridges centuries. Inside, works by Picasso and the Italian Futurists create an unexpected dialogue with the building's Baroque grandeur.

From Medieval Roots to Baroque Splendor

The story of Palazzo Maffei begins modestly with a 15th-century building owned by a local family. On December 20, 1469, nobleman Marcantonio Maffei set ambitious plans in motion, commissioning a dramatic expansion that would add a prestigious third floor.

The transformation took nearly two centuries. Construction finally concluded in 1668, creating the Baroque masterpiece that dominates the piazza today. The palace literally rises from history, its foundations resting on remains of the ancient Roman Capitoline Hill that once anchored the heart of Roman Verona.

Modern Masters in a Baroque Setting

The museum's collection of over 350 works creates a striking contrast with its historic setting. Italian Futurists Umberto Boccioni, Giacomo Balla, and Gino Severini represent the revolutionary movement that sought to capture speed and dynamism in art.

Pablo Picasso's works add international weight to the collection, which spans paintings, sculptures, drawings, and applied art objects. This range allows visitors to trace artistic evolution through the 20th century and into contemporary times, all within rooms that once hosted Veronese nobility.

Architecture That Speaks

The palace's three-story facade is pure Baroque theater. Five ground-floor arcades support windows with elegant balconies, separated by columns adorned with large masks. Above, six marble statues of classical deities peer down at the piazza below.

Hercules, Jupiter, Venus, Mercury, Apollo, and Minerva were carved from local marble, though the Hercules is believed to have originated from an ancient Roman temple. Inside, a spiral stone staircase winds its way from underground storage rooms all the way to the rooftop, connecting every layer of the building's history.

Palazzo Maffei Highlights & Tips

• The Divine Balustrade Six marble statues of classical gods and goddesses crown the facade, with the Hercules statue possibly dating back to ancient Roman times.
• Italian Futurism Collection View works by Boccioni, Balla, and Severini, pioneers of the movement that revolutionized Italian art in the early 20th century.
• Roman Foundations Beneath the palace, visible remains of the ancient Roman Capitoline Hill remind visitors of the site's 2,000-year history.
• The Spiral Staircase An unusual stone spiral staircase connects all levels of the building, from underground stores to the rooftop.
• Prime Piazza Location The palace sits on the northwest side of Piazza delle Erbe, Verona's main square, making it easy to combine with other historic sites in the city center.
• Architectural Details Take time to study the facade from the piazza before entering. The masks on the columns and the arrangement of the statues above reward close observation.

Standing in Palazzo Maffei, you occupy a space where multiple centuries converge. Roman stones support Baroque walls that shelter Futurist dreams of the future.

It's a fitting home for a collection that looks forward while the building itself looks back. When Marcantonio Maffei commissioned his expansion in 1469, he couldn't have imagined that his palace would one day showcase Picasso's radical visions.

Yet this unexpected pairing captures something essential about Verona itself, a city that has always layered new stories upon ancient foundations.