Countess Teresa Guiccioli profoundly influenced Lord Byron, leading him to Ravenna and the magnificent Guiccioli Palace. This historic building has now been transformed into a museum dedicated to Byron and the Italian unification movement, the Risorgimento – the Museo Byron e del Risorgimento.
On 29 November, the Museo Byron e del Risorgimento will officially open in Ravenna’s Palazzo Guiccioli. The museum, an innovative project, was first envisioned by Antonio Patuelli, president of Cassa di Ravenna.
Alberta Fabbri is director of the museum complex. It also houses the Museo delle Bambole (Museum of Dolls) featuring the Graziella Gardini Pasini Collection.
The building, purchased by Ravenna’s municipality in 2013, underwent a decade-long renovation. It now offers visitors 24 rooms across 2,220 square metres, showcasing Byron’s life in Ravenna. The poet lived there between 1819 and 1821, following Countess Teresa Gamba, wife of Count Alessandro Guiccioli, who was 40 years her senior. During Byron’s stay, Percy Shelley also visited Ravenna.
The museum explores Byron’s love for Teresa and his involvement in the Carboneria, a movement advocating liberal and patriotic ideals. This marked the beginning of his path to champion freedom and support Greece’s independence struggle. Documents and artefacts on display bring Byron’s life and works to light.
Byron’s small study features a fresco he commissioned, recently restored, where he penned works like Don Juan, Sardanapalus, The Two Foscari, and The Prophecy of Dante. An interactive installation by Studio Azzurro transports visitors to 19th-century Ravenna, adding an innovative touch to the museum experience.
History of Palazzo Guiccioli
Built in the late 1600s for the Osio family, Count Alessandro Guiccioli purchased the Palazzo Guiccioli in the early 19th century. Over time, it welcomed notable figures such as patriot Luigi Carlo Farini, a princess of Wallachia, and Oscar Wilde. In 1943, the building served as German military headquarters.
Now fully restored, the museum offers an immersive experience. The Byron Museum concludes with the poet’s departure for Greece, leading into the Museo del Risorgimento. Visitors can explore Italy’s history from Napoleon’s era to unification, culminating in a section dedicated to Giuseppe Garibaldi and his wife, Anita, who died in Mandriole in 1849.
Artefacts and Collections
The museum houses over 450 items, including paintings, sculptures, photographs, weapons, uniforms, medals, edicts, and manifestos. These artefacts belong to Ravenna’s municipality and include pieces from the Guerini Collection, the Classense Library, and foundations like Spadolini Nuova Antologia and Bettino Craxi.
Palazzo Guiccioli’s transformation into this dual museum offers a captivating journey through Byron’s legacy and Italy’s path to unification.
