In the second half of 15th century, Urbino changed from a medieval village into a renaissance city by the will of the duke Federico da Montefeltro. In the city centre the duke built the Ducal Palace, not only the symbol of the Lord’s military power, but also of his generosity and culture. It is worth focusing on the magnificent yard, one of the best examples of renaissance architecture. Federico was one of the most refined patrons and with his wife, the learned Battista Sforza, he gathered in his court some of the most famous artists of the period: Donato Bramante, Paolo Uccello, Leon Battista Alberti, Luciano Laurana, Francesco di Giorgio Martini, Piero della Francesca and the Flemish Joos Van Gent.
The gallery was included in the Ducal Palace in 1912. The last mounting, in 1982, has been made with the aim of creating harmony between the works displayed and their rooms. In this museum there are some of the absolute masterpieces of art history: two of the most cryptic works of Piero della Francesca, the Flagellation of Christ and the Madonna di Senigallia; the Communion of the Apostles by Joos Van Gent; the Miracle of the Profanated Host by Paolo Uccello and the sublime Portrait of a Gentlewoman by Raphael.