Federico da Montefeltro, heroic captain and enlightened patron, lord of the Duchy from 1444 to 1482, wanted the realization of what is still considered to be one of the finest works of the Renaissance: the Palazzo Ducale (Ducal Palace) in Urbino. Despite the lack of documents proving the birth and development of this majestic building, it is recognized by the scholars that some of the greatest artists of the time worked for it. Among the countless workers who were employed in the construction, the names of three architects stand out: the Florentine Maso di Bartolomeo, the Dalmatian Luciano Laurana, the architect Francesco di Giorgio Martini from Siena and several decorators and artists that made the building of Urbino focal a point of the Italian Renaissance. Palazzo Ducale had different stages of development; the oldest part, (known as jJole's apartment) was built by the will of Count Guidantonio, father of Frederick. It faces with its long side of the square of the Renaissance and was the starting point for the expansion and the subsequent structure of the building.
Luciano Laurana made the facade with its impressive turrets, the study, and numerous rooms of the main floor. Around 1474, the Sienese architect Francesco di Giorgio Martini replaced Laurana in the finalisation of unfinished parts and designed the complex waterworks, futuristic at the time. With the Sienese architect, the palace experienced its greatest time. During the sixteenth century, with the succession of the Della Rovere family to the Montefeltro family, the building underwent further expansion with the addition of the second main floor.
The Palazzo Ducale in Urbino is home to the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche (National Art Gallery of the Marche Region).

INFO:
PALAZZO DUCALE
Address: Piazza Rinascimento 13, 61029 Urbino (PU), Italy
tel. +39 0722 322625
Website: www.palazzoducaleurbino.it