Palazzo del Bargello which host the National Museum collection is one of the oldest municipal buildings in Florence.
It has been build in 1255 as the residence of Capitanato del Popolo,
The present name has the origins from 16th century, when the palace became the home for Capitano del Giusticia nicknamed Bargello.
For a long time the building served as the site of the city court and the local prison.
After renovation in 1865 the palace hosts the museum Museo Nazionale del Bargello.
Ground Floor ( Michelangelo )
The courtyard walls are adorned with different coats of arms of Podesta, the city negotiators, who also were living in the Palace.
Among the 16th century sculptures under the arcades there is Oceanus by Giambologna moved here from Boboli Gardens.
On this floor there are on exhibition four sculptures made by Michelangelo :
Drunk Bachus ( 1497 )
Brutus (1539-1540) and
Tondo Pitti representing Madonna and the Child with Saint John (1503-1505).
David-Apollo (1530-32 )
There are also the works of Cellini (bronze bust of Cosimo I) and Giambologna ( Mercury from 1564) .
First Floor ( Donatello )
In Salone del Consiglio Generale, a vaulted room , once the site of the court, there are the sculptures of Donatello
David of bronze
One of the most famous pieces of Italian Renaissance sculpture, brought a lot of controversies since the time it was casted c.a. in 1440.
The controversies are around the fact that the sculpture depicts nude young male in a frivolous pose implying homosexuality of the model or the artist.
The young man represents David, who stands atop the head of just defeated Goliath with an enigmatic smile, the large sword of his opponent and a laurel-topped hat.
The hat may suggest that the figure is meant to represent Mercury, and sometimes is referred as David-Mercury.
Saint George
comissined by Confraternity of the Cuirass-makers to decorate the inner walls of the church of Orsanmichele,( which features another Donatello’s work Saint Mark )
Second Floor (Maiolica and Armoury)
Sala delle Maioliche exhibits the first Italian experiments on the way to manufacture porcelain, at that time known only in Far Eastern countries.
The quasi-porcelain clay product became known as porcelain of Medici, as it was made only for court of Francesco Medici and his family.
Among the porcelain items known as Maiolica there is the burst of a boy by Luca della Robia also the works of Ghiberti and Bruneleschi.
In the Museum building there is also the Armoury which houses the remains of the Medici Armoury, and chapel La Cappella di Santa Maria Maddalena with frescoes from 1330-1340 made probably by student of Giotto.
The chapel served as the prison rooms and has been renovated only shortly before establishment of the museum here.The chapel along with the Sacristy exhibits old religious items of gold and silver.
Museo Nazionale del Bargello
Via del Proncosolo 4,
50122 Firenze
phone: 055 2388606
Open: daily 8.15 – 17.00
Closed: 1st 3rd 5th Sunday and 2nd 4th Monday of the month
