Federico da Montefeltro, the cultivated mercenary captain who ruled Urbino from 1444 to 1482, commissioned a palace meant to embody a humanist ideal of princely virtue. The result was the first true Renaissance palace, defining a vocabulary that Italian architects would copy for the next two centuries. The exterior is mostly austere brick; the western facade with its slim turreted towers is the city's signature view.
Inside, the rooms unfold around a perfect arcaded courtyard. The Studiolo of Federico is the highlight: a tiny private study lined with intarsia (wood inlay) panels showing books, instruments and trompe l'oeil cupboards of dazzling precision. The library, throne room, and Federico's private apartments are all open. Allow at least three hours. Closed Mondays.