Palazzo Farnese - one of the greatest palaces in the style of the High Renaissance in Rome. In 1936 it was leased to France for 99 years, and today the building houses the French Embassy in Italy.

Palazzo was designed in 1517 for the Farnese family, and in 1534, after Alessandro Farnese became Pope Paul III, was significantly expanded the project by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger. The construction of the building was attended by prominent architects of the 16th century, including Michelangelo, Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola and Giacomo della Porta. At the end of the 16th century artist from Bologna, Annibale Carracci created in the Gallery of the Farnese cycle of frescoes, which marked the beginning of two different styles of painting the next century - the Roman Baroque and Classicism. In the same palace was assembled an outstanding collection of sculptures, now housed at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, and a collection of works of art exhibited at the Museum of Capodimonte in Naples.

Building Palazzo Farnese began in 1517 and was interrupted a decade later during the sack of Rome. And in 1534, Alessandro Farnese attracted to work on the palace of the great Michelangelo, who completed the construction of the third floor and a patio. In 1541, he also placed above the central window of the facade of the huge papal coat of arms - the largest ever built in Rome. When Paul III appeared on the balcony, as if the entire facade became a setting for its guests. Further modifications of the palace reflect not only changes in the status of Alessandro, but the growing influence of the Farnese family as a whole.

In the 16th century, two large granite basin of the Baths of Caracalla were fitted under the fountain in Piazza Farnese, where facing facade of the palace. And in the 17th century, Pope Alexander VII resolved Swedish Queen Christina stay at the Palazzo for a few months, but she complained about the presence of "fiend". After the departure of Christine in Paris it turned out that her servant had stolen from the palace silver, tapestries and paintings, as well as the burned part of the doors and removed the copper roof.

Palazzo Farnese was the model for many buildings around the world, among them - the Château Grimaldi in Aix-en-Provence (France), the National Building Museum in Washington, the Royal Palace in Stockholm.