The Bargello National Museum

The Bargello National Museum is a fortress in the center of Florence, built in 1255 in order to become the headquarters of the Capitano del Popolo and later the seat of the Podestà and Council of Justice; it was later used as a prison from the 16th century for almost 3 centuries.

 Its name comes from “Barigello”, a term of Lombard origin that means “fortified tower” or “Castle”. In the Middle Ages the term was used to identify the military commander in charge of maintaining order during the riots. Starting from 1865, the building became home to the National Museum and there converged some of the most important sculptures of the Renaissance. As a result the Bargello National Museum has been enriched with splendid collections of bronzes, majolica, waxes, enamels, medals, ivory, amber, tapestries, furniture, seals and textiles, derived in part from the Medici collections and partly by private donations. 

Here you can admire one of the first sculptures of Michelangelo, “Bacchus” (1496), deliberately created to seem very old, the “Pitti Tondo” (1504), “Brutus”, “David-Apollo” as well as works by Donatello, Ghiberti, Giambologna and Verrocchio. Last but not least, the Carrand collection, made with precious Roman, Byzantine and medieval ivory pieces, not to mention the Lombards and Baroque jewelry, or the glazed tiles produced in France and the scientific instruments. Also interesting are the pottery and weapons rich rooms located on the second floor.