The Ajaccio Fesch museum

On holiday or just passing through Ajaccio to visit the Beautiful Island after a direct flight with Air Corsica, this cultural site is not to be missed : the Palace Fesch Musée des Beaux-Arts (the Palace Fesch Museum of Fine Arts)  retains one of the most beautiful collections of Italian paintings in France. A must-see during your stay in Ajaccio thanks to Air Corsica !

Not just a Napoleonic museum ...

The Fesch Museum was founded by Cardinal Joseph Fesch, maternal uncle of Napoleon Bonaparte, passionate about art since his first trip to Italy. In the centre of the museum's courtyard, presides the statue of the Cardinal who enabled the museum to collect nearly 16, 000 paintings by bequeathing them to his birthplace.

Italian paintings predominate with many Italian primitives, Roman Baroque and Neapolitan paintings.

Several permanent exhibitions are currently on display :

• The graphic arts and photography chamber is made up of Corsican and Napoleonic works.
• The Italian paintings from the fourteenth to the eighteenth century are hung in the manner of Italian palaces, i.e. " cadres contre cadres (frames against frames) " regardless of the paintings' subject or era.
• The Napoleonic collection of representations of the Bonaparte family through paintings, engravings and sculptures.
• The Napoleon Exhibition with a medals room.
• A collection of Corsican paintings.

The north wing of the Fesch Palace houses the city of Ajaccio's heritage library, while in the south wing there is the Imperial Chapel, the burial place of key members of the Bonaparte family.