Galleria degli Uffizi is a palace and museum in Florence that contains one of the oldest and most famous art collections in the world. It is considered one of the most viewed tourist attractions in Florence and in 2015 it received almost two million visits, making it the most frequented art gallery in Italy.
The construction of the Uffizi Palace was started in 1560 by Giorgio Vasari, following orders from Cosimo I de Medici. Its initial purpose was to house the offices of the Florentine magistracies, once the Palazzo Vecchio became too small. From this function it derives its name from «Gallery of the Offices». The works were completed in 1581. For years, parts of the palace were used to store the pieces of art from the magnificent collection of the Medici family.
