The Palazzo Quirinale, currently the official residence of the President of Italy, was built in 1583 as a papal residence and after 1871 was used as the royal residence of the kings of Italy.  In 1655 the painter Pietro da Cortona received a commission from Pope Alexander VII to redecorate a wing of the palace.  The resulting grand rooms – airy, light-filled and covered with frescoes – were a model for other European palaces.  However in 1812, under Napoleon, the rooms were reconfigured and redecorated, covering Pietro’s work.  In more recent years, during updating of the electrical system, Pietro’s amazingly well-preserved frescoes were re-discovered.  Starting October 16th and following a restoration, the Galleria di Alessandro VII will be added to the areas open to the public on Sundays.