Contenus masquer
1 Highlights at the Bargello Museum: Famous Works
2 Historical Overview and Palace Visit
3 Collections to Discover
4 Practical Information, Tickets, and Links

The Bargello Museum is located in the historic center of Florence, at the heart of the imposing Palazzo del Bargello.
Since 1859, it has been the first national museum of unified Italy. It houses an exceptional collection of Renaissance sculptures and major works by artists such as Donatello, Verrocchio, Michelangelo, Giambologna, Andrea and Giovanni della Robbia, as well as Cellini. Over time, the collections have been enriched with bronzes, enamels, medals, seals, ivories, tapestries, and furniture, some of which come from the prestigious Medici collections.

Highlights at the Bargello Museum: Famous Works

  • Donatello’s Bronze David (c. 1440), the first full-size male nude statue of the Renaissance.
  • Donatello’s Saint George (1416), a masterpiece of late Gothic sculpture.
  • Michelangelo’s Bacchus (c. 1496-1497), one of the artist’s first major works.
  • The Competition for the Baptistery Doors: bronze panels by Ghiberti and Brunelleschi (1401).
  • The glazed terracotta sculptures of the della Robbia, typical of the Florentine tradition.
  • Bronzes and Mannerist works by Giambologna and Benvenuto Cellini.
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Historical Overview and Palace Visit

Construction of the Bargello Palace began in 1255. Over the centuries, it served as the seat of the Captain of the People (podestà, a kind of mayor), the Council of Justice, and then the Captain of Justice (a role similar to a sheriff). From the 16th century and for nearly three hundred years, the building was used as a prison.
Between the 14th and 15th centuries, the building underwent several modifications and expansions. However, it retains its original sober and austere appearance, with its inner courtyard featuring elegant lines, its balcony, and its large first-floor hall.

The palace façade still preserves many heraldic decorations, including the coats of arms of the podestàs who governed the city between the 13th and 14th centuries. Beyond the entrance, visitors access an irregular courtyard adorned with coats of arms and symbols of Florence’s districts, as well as 16th-century statues. The entrance hall displays Gothic and 14th-century sculptures, notably works by Nicola Pisano.

Collections to Discover

Giotto fresco (Bargello Museum)

Giotto fresco (Bargello Museum)

  • Michelangelo and Cellini Rooms: here you can admire masterpieces such as Bacchus (c. 1496-1497), Apollo (c. 1530), and the bronze bust of Cosimo Ist by Benvenuto Cellini. Works by Giambologna and other late Renaissance masters are also displayed.
  • The Loggia, accessible via the monumental staircase, presents various 16th-century animal bronzes.
  • Donatello Hall (former Sala del Consiglio Generale): it houses the famous Saint George (1416), the marble David (1408), the Infant Saint John the Baptist, as well as many other works by the master. The room also preserves the renowned bronze panels by Lorenzo Ghiberti and Filippo Brunelleschi, created during the competition for the Florence Baptistery doors (1401), in which Ghiberti emerged victorious.
  • Decorative Collections: the museum also preserves enamels, goldsmithing, and metal objects from the Middle Ages and Renaissance, rare ivory sculptures, and magnificent della Robbia glazed terracottas.
  • Sala della Torre displays several tapestries, as well as works by artists such as Michelozzo, Pisanello, and others.

Practical Information, Tickets, and Links

 

Practical Information

  • Address: Via del Proconsolo, 4, 50122 Florence FI, Italy
  • Opening Hours: open daily from 8:15 a.m. to 1:50 p.m. (closed on the second and fourth Sunday of the month, and the first, third, and fifth Monday of the month).
  • Tickets: full price approx. €8, reduced €2 (check the official website). Reservation recommended during high season.
  • Official Website: Museo Nazionale del Bargello

Bargello Museum FAQ

  • How much time should be allocated for the visit?
    About 1.5 to 2 hours are enough to see the main rooms and masterpieces.
  • Can tickets be purchased in advance?
    Yes, booking is recommended, especially during high season, to avoid waiting.

Links and Sources

In the Florence Museums Category