Description: The Bargello Museum has as good a collection of sculptures as the Uffizi has paintings. I particularly wanted to see and admire the Donatello, Giambologna and Cellini works, including many of the originals of statues which have copies standing outside in the Loggia di Lanzi in Piazza della Signoria and other public plazas in Florence. A number of key works in the collection reflect the Florentines’ identification with David and different artists portrayal of David and Goliath as symbolizing the heroism of Florence.
The building itself is remarkable. The museum collection is on two floors with a large central courtyard. Originally a palace, it was later a prison, police headquarters and the site of public executions. In the 19th century, it became a national museum (Museo Nazionale del Bargello), displaying a large collection of Gothic and Renaissance sculptures of the 14th to 17th centuries.
Hours of the Bargello are not regular. Most Mondays through Sundays it’s open from 8.15 - 13.50, but closed the second and fourth Monday each month as well as the first, third and fifth Sunday each month and on Christmas Day. The entry fee of €4 is well worth the price.
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