Museo Diocesano Belluno Feltre

The Diocesan Museum of Feltre is a museum of sacred art housed in the rooms of the ancient bishop’s palace.

Inside the historic walled city centre, the former Bishop’s Palace hosts the Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art. The building, itself notable from a cultural and architectural viewpoint, presents a valuable collection of works from the historic dioceses of Feltre and Belluno.

Here we find paintings by Jacopo Tintoretto, Luca Giordano, and Sebastiano Ricco; and sculptures by Giacomo Piazetta, Francesco Terilli and Andrea Brustolon.

As well, there are rare and unique artworks such as the Chalice of the deacon Orso, a Eucharist Chalice from the 5th Century that, according to academics, is the oldest Western communion chalice; and the boxwood Post-Byzantine cross, a masterful microsculpture dating back to 1542. Amazingly, this work only 37 centimetres in size, presents 52 evangelical scenes, 485 figurines and 200 slender columns as thin as silk threads.

Other extraordinary pieces are the Longobard bas-relief entitled Pluteo di Paderno, two 13th Century silver astylar crosses and the reliquary bust of Saint Silvester by the Tuscan goldsmith Antonio di Salvi.

By reservation tour visits for groups during the week. Closed 25th December and 1st January.

From June 1 to September 30 (summer hours):

From Friday to Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and from 2:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

From October 1 to May 31 (winter hours):

From Friday to Sunday and public holidays, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The Diocesan Museum is located inside the ancient episcopal palace of Feltre, in the heart of the historic center, on the western edge of the walled city. It was built in the second half of the thirteenth century and has been renovated and expanded several times in the subsequent centuries. After decades of abandonment, from 1999 to 2018, the building underwent a complex restoration and was designated to house sacred artworks from the territories of the ancient dioceses of Feltre and Belluno. Its halls preserve masterpieces of painting, sculpture, goldsmithing, and weaving, ranging from the early Middle Ages to the contemporary age. In addition to some exceptional elements such as the Chalice of Deacon Orso from the 6th century, the post-Byzantine Cross from 1542, the Madonna in alabaster from the 15th century, and the Reliquary bust of St. Silvester by the Florentine goldsmith Antonio di Salvi, masterpieces by Jacopo Tintoretto, Sebastiano Ricci, Andrea Brustolon, Francesco Terilli, Luca Giordano, Federico Bencovich, Gaspare Diziani, Domenico Corvi, and Nicola Grassi are exhibited. A large section is dedicated to wooden sculpture, showcasing numerous unpublished works, recovered thanks to the cataloging of ecclesiastical cultural assets promoted by the Diocese since 2002 and restored by the museum. The museum is accessible to visitors with mobility disabilities, except for the Cellars where early medieval artifacts are displayed. The museum is equipped with an elevator to reach the various floors of the palace and has proper ramps for access to the ground floor of the west wing and to the ticket office. The main entrance of the museum is accessible to motorized disabled guests.

Level access
Accessible bathroom
Partial subtitles