 Introduzione
The Bargello, also known as the Bargello Palace or Palazzo del Popolo (Palace of the People) is a former barracks and prison, now an art museum displaying the largest Italian collection of gothic and Renaissance sculptures (14-17th century) including masterpieces by Donatello, Luca della Robbia, Verrocchio, Michelangelo and Cellini. The museum also has a fine collection of ceramics, textile, tapestries, ivory, silver, armours and old coins.
 History
The Palazzo del Bargello, which has housed the Museum since its foundation in 1865, is one of the oldest public buildings in Florence. The word bargello appears to come from the late latin bargillus castle or fortified tower. During Italian Middle Ages it was the name given to a military captain in charge of keeping peace and justice (hence Captain of justice) during riots and uproars. In Florence he was usually hired from a foreign city to prevent any appearance of favoritism on the part of the Captain. The position could be compared with current Chief of police. The name Bargello was extended to the building which was the office of the captain.
The Bargello palace was built to house first the Capitano del Popolo and later, in 1261, the Podesta, the highest magistrate of the Florence City Council. Afterwards in 1574, the Medici dispensed with the function of the Podesta and housed the bargello, the police chief of Florence, in this building, hence its name. Throughout the eighteenth century it functioned as a prison; executions took place in the Bargello's yard until they were abolished by Grand Duke Peter Leopold in 1786. It remained the headquarters of the Florentine police till 1865. In 1865 Italy's first national museum (outside the Vatican) was installed in the palace.
The original two-story structure was built alongside the Volognana Tower in 1256. The third story, which can be identified by the smaller blocks used to construct it, was added after the fire of 1323. The building is designed around an open courtyard with an external staircase leading to the second floor. An open well is found in the center of the courtyard.
 Location
Address: Via del Proconsolo 4, 50122 Firenze.
Transit: Bus: Bus service from Santa Maria Novella Station, 14, 23, A.
From the station about 10 minutes through the town centre.
 Ground Floor
The courtyard of the Bargello Palace is worth visiting for its architecture alone. It is surrounded on three sides by an arcade (round arches, octagonal columns, groin vaulting). On the fourth side an open staircase leads to the upper floors. Pillars and walls are decorated with the coats of arms of the Podesta, the members of the Rota and the quarters and boroughs of the city. In the centre of the courtyard is an octagonal fountain, and nearby the site of the scaffold when the Bargello was also a prison. Today the courtyard and arcade are used to display sculpture, and hold works by Niccolo di Piero Lamberti, Vincenzo Danti, Cosimo Cenni, Vincenzo Gemito, Bartolomeo Ammannati, Domenico Poggini and Giambologna.
 Michelangelo Room
The tasteful courtyard leads into the rooms containing works by Michelangelo: a marble Brutus (ca. 1540); Madonna and Child with the young John the Baptist, a tondo carved for Bartolomeo Pitti about 1504; David (ca. 1531), also known as Little Apollo,; Drunken Bacchus, Michelangelo's first large sculpture (1497-1499). Other works are by 16th century artists. Worthy of particular mention are Jacopo Sansovino's Bacchus (ca. 1520, the bronze bust of Michelangelo by Daniele da Volterra, the bust of Cosimo I by Benvenuto Cellini (1557) and other of Cellini's works, including his marble statue of Narcissus (1540).
 Donatello Room
In the Donatello Room the statues by Donatello include his St George (1416, marble statue formerly in a niche in the church of Orsanmichele), marble David (1408-1409), bronze David (made in 1430 for Cosimo the Elder), St John as a Child (Casa Martelli) and the Marzocco Lion (1420). Other artists represented in this room are Desiderio da Settignano, Vecchietta, Luca della Robbia and Bertoldo di Giovanni. Filippo Brunelleschi's and Lorenzo Ghiberti's models for the competition for the north portal of the Battistero complete the display.
 Andrea Robbia Room
The Andrea Robbia Room holds glazed terracotta works by Andrea Robbia and small bronzes by Giambologna.
 Giovanni della Robbia
Works in glazed terracotta by Giovanni della Robbia, and a portrait bust of Costanza Bonarelli by Bernini.
 Coin Collection
Two rooms of the Bargello Palace contain the famous Medici coin collection that was started by Lorenzo de'Medici and constantly added to by his successors. Other exhibits that can be seen on the second floor include tapestries and textiles from Florence, 13th-17th century weapons, and a collection of small bronzes.
 Loggia
The Loggia on the first floor has Giambologna's bronze statue of Mercury (1564) and his important allegory of Architecture, as well as sculpture by Baccio Bandinelli and Francesco Moschino.
 Useful information
Telephone: Contact Firenze Musei, Tel: +39 055294883
E-mail: museobargello@polomuseale.firenze.it
Open: Monday to Sunday 8,15-13,50
Closed 1th, 3rd and 5th Sunday and 2nd , 4th Monday of each month; New Year's Day, May 1st, Christmas Day
Disabled: Partial facilities for persons with disabilities.
 Utili
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