Palazzo Soliano

Palazzo Soliano is a medieval palace in Orvieto, located in Piazza del Duomo, near the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta.

The palace, also known as Palazzo di Boniface VIII, because was built by the will of Pope Boniface VIII, houses the Emilio Greco Museum (Museo Emilio Greco) and the Opera del Duomo Museum – MODO (Museo dell’Opera del Duomo).

SHORT HISTORY

Palazzo Soliano was built starting with 1297, at the behest of Pope Boniface VIII. The construction was interrupted in 1303, after the pope’s death.

Starting with 1330, after a period of abandonment, the palace was used for the storage of materials for the construction site of the cathedral. In 1361, a fire caused serious damage to the palace.

In 1493, on the occasion of the arrival in Orvieto of Pope Alexander VI, the structure was consolidated.

During those times, the palio of Orvieto was held in Piazza del Duomo. In 1504, due to a large number of people who watched the palio from the terrace of Palazzo Soliano, the roof of the palace collapsed.

Thirty years later, due to the risks of collapse, the entire structure was subjected to numerous modifications.

Over the centuries, the palace underwent numerous other modifications. A radical restoration was carried out in the second half of the 19th century by Paolo Zampi.

ARCHITECTURE

Palazzo Soliano consists of a large body with two floors arranged parallel to the longitudinal body of the Cathedral of Orvieto.

The lower floor is covered by a system of double barrel vaults supported by a row of large central pillars. The interiors are illuminated by wide openings.

The hall on the lower floor is home to the Emilio Greco Museum, while the hall on the second floor houses the Opera del Duomo Museum. The two halls are connected by a large external staircase.

THE MUSEUMS

The Emilio Greco Museum, located on the ground floor of Palazzo Soliano, houses the works donated by the sculptor to the city of Orvieto. Between 1962 and 1964, Emilio Greco created the monumental bronze doors of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta.

The exhibits in the museum, made by the artist between 1947 and 1990, mark the most significant stages in his career – from the Wrestler, exhibited in London for the 1948 Olympics, to the famous plaster cast of the Monument to Pope John XXIII.

The Opera del Duomo Museum houses sculptures and works from various periods, including glazed terracottas by Luca della Robbia, the reliquary of the skull of San Savino, drafts on parchment of the projects for the Cathedral of Orvieto, the Maestà dei Servi by Coppo di Marcovaldo, the self-portrait and the Magdalene by Luca Signorelli, the polyptych of San Domenico by Simone Martini, and many others.

HOW TO GET THERE

The closest bus stop is in Piazza del Duomo, located in front of the palace, on the bus Lines 1, A and CC.

The palace is located about 1 kilometer away from Piazza Cahen, the end of the funicular line that connects the historical center of the town to the Orvieto railway station.