There is so much to see and the Accademia Gallery is one of the must-see attractions in the city of Florence. It’s worth planning to visit this little piece of history in a quiet way, enjoying all that this city has to offer. One of the favorite places for tourists is the Galleria dell’Accademia, ranked among the best museums in Europe.
Its fame dates back to 1784, when it was founded with the intention of serving as a center of artistic education that would bring together several schools already existing at the time.
Inside is the famous statue of David, made by Michelangelo.
History of the Academy Gallery
The building where the Galleria dell’Accademia is located today was originally the former hospital of San Matteo and the monastery of San Nicola di Cafaggio. In 1784, the Grand Duke Leopold of Lorraine decided to use parts of this complex to found the Academy of Arts.
The intention was to create a school of art that would become a reference for all Italian students. Thus, the Grand Duke assembled a collection of works of art to serve as inspiration, stimulus and example to future artists.
Less than 100 years later, the most important sculpture in the museum arrived: Michelangelo’s David, in 1873. The grandiose sculpture, created by one of the great names of the Renaissance between 1501 and 1504, was moved from the Piazza della Signoria to the Galleria dell’Accademia, where it still stands today, and is one of the most visited works in the world.
Inside the Galleria dell’Accademia, there is no shortage of sculptures, paintings and other works of art to admire. Michelangelo’s David, one of the most famous works by one of the most famous artists of all time, deserves the top spot on our list.
The impressive sculpture made from a 5.5 meter high block of pure marble impresses with its details perfectly carved into the stone.
The Galleria dell’Accademia is one of the most visited places in Italy for its magnificent and extensive collection of Michelangelo’s artworks. In addition to David, in the Gallery of the Captives it is possible to admire other sculptures by the artist, such as St. Matthew and Pity of Palestrina.
On the walls it is possible to observe some paintings that are in line with those of Michelangelo, but which belong to painters such as Granacci and Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio.
Museum of Musical Instruments
This is the most recent section of the Galleria dell’Accademia. It has about fifty instrumental pieces that have been lent to the museum by the Luigi Cherubini Music Conservatory. Among the most important pieces, it is possible to see up close a violin by Antonio Stradivari himself, a cello by Nicolo Amati and a pianoforte by Bartolomeo Cristofori.
Hall of the Colossus
The Hall of the Colossus is the first room of the museum. It presents various examples of works by the main artists of Florence from the 15th to the 16th century. It is possible to observe original paintings and sculptures of names such as Paolo Uccello, Loscheggia and Botticelli.
Video
How to get to the Academy Gallery
The gallery is conveniently located in the center of Florence. For those in the city’s main tourist attraction, Piazza Del Duomo, it is only a 6 minute walk along the same street as the Galleria dell’Accademia, to Via Ricasoli number 60. 58/60 50122 Firenze
Opening hours
Not open on Mondays. Visiting hours are from 9:00 am to 6:45 pm, with the last entrance at 6:15 pm. The museum begins to close at 6:40 pm. On Saturdays and Sundays, reservations are required
Ticket price: 12 €, 2 € for 18 to 25 years old
Tip: every first Sunday of the month, admission is free for all.
https://www.galleriaaccademiafirenze.it/
https://goo.gl/maps/Duq5PXrzz8DfNbNCA
