Barberini family and provided the subject for a major international conference in December 2004 (and subsequent publication), entitled "I Barberini e la Cultura Europea". Family tree of the 16th and 17th century Barberini ("hereditary patriarchy of the family is indicated by the colored squares"). Barberini family The Barberini are a family of the Italian nobility that rose to prominence in 17th century Rome. Their influence peaked with the election of Cardinal Maffeo Barberini to the papal throne in 1623, as Pope Urban VIII. Their urban palace, the Palazzo Barberini, (completed in 1633 by Bernini), today houses Italy's Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica (National
Maffeo Barberini (1631–1685) Caravaggio. Barberini also commissioned paintings by Niccolò Tornioli. In 1653, Barberini reopened the Teatro delle Quattro Fontane after it had been closed for more than 10 years while his uncles and father had been in exile. It continued to host operatic performances until it was damaged by fire and abandoned. Maffeo Barberini and Olimpia Giustiniani had five children: Maffeo Barberini (1631–1685) Maffeo Barberini (19 August 1631 – 28 November 1685) was an Italian nobleman of the Barberini and "Prince of Palestrina". He was appointed Gonfalonier of the Church. Born in 1631, Barberini was one of the five children of Taddeo