Accademia Gallery - Michelangelo's David

Millions of visitors arrive in Florence from all over the world to admire what is considered to be the masterpiece of world sculpture, the famous David by Michelangelo.

Via Ricasoli, one of the historic streets of Florence, is the site of the Academy Gallery, where it is housed. It was commissioned in 1784 by Pietro Leopoldo di Lorena, when he decided to gather the various institutions, including the ancient Academy of Design Arts, in the rooms of St. Matthew’s Hospital and of the convent of Saint Nicholas.

All the works belonging to the School of Art, including the plaster of the ‘Rape of the Sabine Women’ by Giambaloga, displayed in the Hall of the Colossus, were moved to the gallery, and when several monastic orders were suppressed in 1809, many other works were added. In 1873, it was decided to move the David from Piazza della Signoria to the Gallery, and for the occasion Emilio De Fabris created the Tribune that houses it, creating a system of windows in order to light it from above.

At the beginning of the 20th century many ancient works were moved to other museums while the collection of modern art was housed in Pitti Palace. In 1906, Michelangelo’s St. Matthew was acquired, and shortly afterwards the sculptures of the Prisoners, made by Michelangelo for the tomb of Giulio II, were moved here from the Boboli Gardens.

Works by the three brothers Andrea, Nardo and Jacopo di Cione can be seen in the Orcagna Hall. Since 1996, the Museum of Musical Instruments has been part of the gallery, and musical instruments from the collections of the Medici and the Lorena can be admired, including some violins made by Antonio Stradivari.



See also: David Michelangelo Guided Tour

See also: Uffizi Guided Visit