A new free-admission art gallery, the Galleria Verticale, has opened inside Palazzo Marignoli, a historic 19th-century building in central Rome owned by the Allianz Group. The gallery presents a vertical exhibition route from top to bottom, showcasing part of Allianz Italia's corporate art collection, which spans the 19th and 20th centuries. Curated by Claudia Crosera and Aulo Guagnini, the temporary display (open until May 5, 2027) features works by artists such as Francesco Hayez, Alfredo Tomiz, Umberto Veruda, and Arturo Rietti, alongside restoration history and archival materials related to the insurance companies that merged into Allianz. The building also houses a flagship Apple store designed with Norman Foster's involvement and a panoramic restaurant, Quid.
This matters because the Galleria Verticale makes a significant corporate art collection publicly accessible for free, offering a rare opportunity to view works normally held in private company archives. It also highlights the growing trend of corporations opening their art holdings to the public, blending heritage preservation, contemporary architecture, and cultural tourism. The gallery's location in a meticulously restored palazzo with layered historical significance—from a 16th-century convent to a 19th-century noble residence—adds depth to Rome's cultural landscape, attracting both art enthusiasts and visitors exploring the city center.