The Diocesan Museum of Cortona was founded at the end of the Second World War on the initiative of Bishop Giuseppe Franciolini and the Cathedral Chapter.
The architectural complex, built between 1498 and 1505, consisted of two superimposed buildings: the upper church, the Church of Jesus, and a lower oratory, used for meetings and activities of the friars. The upper church, with a single nave, originally had three altars with three altarpieces commissioned by Luca Signorelli (now in the Signorelli Room of the Museum). Note the extraordinary wooden ceiling by Mezzanotte, with the monogram of St. Bernardino (IHS) and the symbols of the Passion of Christ. The Lower Oratory was completely frescoed in 1555 by Cristoforo Gherardi, known as Doceno, after a design by Giorgio Vasari, with scenes from the Old and New Testaments; the terracotta group of 1519, depicting the Lamentation of the Dead Christ, is precious. The museum houses paintings on wood and canvas of extraordinary beauty, together with liturgical furnishings, reliquaries and sacred vestments of great historical and artistic value. Particularly noteworthy are the Annunciation by Beato Angelico, the Deposition by Signorelli, the Majesty and the large painted Cross by Pietro Lorenzetti, the Assumption by Bartolomeo della Gatta, the Vagnucci reliquary and the Passerini vestments after designs by Raffaellino del Garbo and Andrea del Sarto.

Adults: € 6.00
Infant 0/5 years old: Free

Children 6/12 years old: €4,00*

Reservation fee: € 1,00 per person
Commission fee: € 2.00 per person

Admission ticket

Everything that is not specifically mentioned in the price is included

Timetable

From April 1st to October 31st 2024

Daily, from 10:30 am to 06:00 pm
Break: from 01:30 pm to 02:00 pm
Last entry 30 minutes before closing 
Closure: December 25th