Pinacoteca di Brera Tickets 2026

HISTORY OF THE PINACOTECA DI BRERA

The Pinacoteca di Brera is one of the biggest art galleries in Italy. It was founded in 1809 by Napoleon I and aimed to collect important artworks from all places conquered by the French. The Pinacoteca di Brera is located in the Palazzo di Brera, a Neoclassical building that was originally built as a Jesuit college. The Academy of Fine Arts and the Braidense National Library also occupy the building.

WHAT CAN I SEE AT THE PINACOTECA DI BRERA?

With the dissolution of religious orders, many paintings from churches were brought into the Pinacoteca di Brera at the beginning of the 19th century. Because of this, most of the works you can see are of a religious nature, and many of them are altarpieces. The Pinacoteca di Brera mainly exhibits Italian paintings from the 15th century to the Rococo era of the 18th century. One highlight is the Renaissance and Baroque paintings from Venice and Lombardy. Also included in your Pinacoteca di Brera Ticket is a guided tour of the Brera District, where you can see charming Italian streets with studios and stores that sell paint, canvases, perfumes, and more.

NOTABLE WORKS OF ART

You will have an expert guide leading the way and telling you stories about the works of art you see. They can show you the “Lamentation over the Dead Christ”, painted in 1483 by Andrea Mantegna. It depicts mourners gathered around Christ's body. “St. Mark Preaching in Alexandria” was started by Gentile Bellini and finished by his brother, Giovanni, after the artist’s death. It is a painting from the beginning of the 16th century. You can also see Giovanni Bellini’s “Pietà” from the mid-15th century. Another highlight at the Pinacoteca di Brera is a work that could be one of the most reproduced Italian paintings of the 19th century – Francesco Hayez’s “The Kiss”. Hayez painted it as a metaphor for the love for the motherland. The red, green, blue, and white colors in the painting remind us of the flags of Italy and France. Your guide can also lead you to the “Supper at Emmaus” by Caravaggio, or Michelangelo Merisi, from 1606. He painted it after he fled Rome following a fatal incident. After your visit to the Pinacoteca di Brera, take a short walk through the charming Brera District and continue on to explore Milan’s history with your Sforza Castle tickets.