Famous for the grandeur of its rooms, notably the Carracci gallery, which has the second greatest ceiling in Rome after the Sistine, the Farnese is the most beautiful Renaissance palace in Rome. The Farnese family rose to great power and wealth during the Renaissance, in part because of the favor Pope Alexander VI showed to the beautiful Giullia Farnese. The large palace was begun when, with Alexander's aid, Giullia's brother became cardinal; it was further enlarged on his election as Pope Paul III in 1534. The uppermost frieze decorations and main window overlooking the piazza are the work of Michelangelo, who also designed part of the courtyard, as well as the graceful arch over Via Giullia at the back. The facade on Piazza Farnese has recently been cleaned, further revealing geometrical brick configurations that have long been thought to hold some occult meaning. When looking up at the palace, try to catch a glimpse of the splendid frescoed ceilings, including the Galleria Carracci vault painted by Annibale Carracci between 1597 and 1604. The Carracci gallery depicts the loves of the gods, a supremely pagan theme that the artist painted in a swirling style that announced the birth of the Baroque style. It's said that Carracci was so dismayed at the miserly fee he received -- the Farnese family was extravagantly rich even by the standards of 15th- and 16th-century Rome's extravagantly rich -- that he took to drink and died shortly thereafter. Those who sympathize with the poor man's fate will be further dismayed to learn that the French government pays one euro every 99 years as rent for their sumputous embassy (actually, the Italian embassy has the same arrangement). Due to demand, the embassy now offers free tours (in French and Italian only) of their palace's historic rooms four times a week. You'll need to send a letter or e-mail to reserve tickets, specifying the number in your party, when you wish to visit, and a local phone number, for confirmation a few days before the visit.