Invito a Palazzo

Invito a Palazzo in Rome

For just one day a year, on the first Saturday of October, major banks and banking foundations throw open the doors of their historic headquarters to welcome citizens and tourists free of charge. This is Invito a Palazzo, an event that grants the public access to buildings typically closed as they serve as workplaces, offering a chance to discover frescoes, monumental halls, sculptures, period furnishings, and significant art collections. In Rome, the capital city of the Metropolitan City of Rome and the capital of the Lazio region, the initiative finds one of its most spectacular showcases.

Palaces usually closed, open for a day

The heart of the day consists of free guided tours: at participating locations, staff and guides accompany visitors through grand staircases, reception halls, and historic vaults, sharing the history of the buildings and the works preserved within. Many of these palaces, overlooking the streets of the historic center, are masterpieces of civil architecture housing ancient and modern paintings that are rarely accessible to the general public.

A project by ABI and ACRI

Invito a Palazzo is promoted by the Italian Banking Association (ABI), in collaboration with ACRI, the association of banking foundations. The event takes place under the High Patronage of the President of the Italian Republic and with the support of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO and the Ministry of Culture. Established in 2002, it has involved dozens of cities and over a hundred palaces across Italy over the years, with the aim of returning often little-known artistic heritage to the community.

Rome, capital of banking palaces

The historic center of Rome holds the highest concentration of visitable sites: stately homes and 19th-century palaces transformed into corporate headquarters house valuable art galleries, sculptures, and decorative features. Among the venues that have taken part in the event over the years is, for example, Palazzo Rondinini, overlooking Via del Corso. The complete list of Roman palaces open to the public is released each year shortly before the event.

More than just one day: the digital extension

Following the open day, the experience continues online for several days with virtual tours, videos, live streams, and podcasts published on the banks' and foundations' portals, as well as on the event's official website and Muvir, the virtual museum of Italian banks. It is a way to continue exploring these palaces remotely, beyond the boundaries of a single day.