Five Museums To Visit In Florence

Known as the "Athens of the Middle Ages", the city of Florence has been a favorite tourist destination because of the endless museums, monuments, buildings, cathedrals and other architectural heritage sites that serve as reminders of the Renaissance period. In almost every corner of this great city, you will get to witness the historic art galleries and museums that showcase the influence of Italy when it comes to arts, architecture and literature.

With all these masterpieces that can be found in every museum in this historic city, you might find it really hard to decide where to go to. So here are some of the grandest museums in Florence that you must definitely not miss.

The Galleria dell'Accademia, also known as the "Gallery of the Academy of Florence", is home to a collection of sculptures and Florentine paintings that were born during the Renaissance period. This is where you'll also find the spectacular sculptural pieces of Michelangelo--most especially, his world-famous David. Aside from Michelangelo's works, Galleria dell'Accademia also displays the creations of artists such as Sandro Botticelli, Paolo Uccello, Andrea del Sarto and Domenico Ghirlandaio.

Located in central Florence, Galleria degli Uffizi is one of the most popular and largest museums in the world. It preserves a vast collection of magnificent masterpieces that was created during the Italian renaissance. According to Charming Tuscany, this building was originally built in 1560 to serve as offices for the magistrates of Florence, but it was later on transformed into a sanctuary of some of the premier art pieces of renowned artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael and Botticelli.

The Museo dell'Opera del Duomo in Piazza del Duomo 9 stores the original art pieces that were originally created for a cathedral in Florence called the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore. This place houses the renowned "Gates of Paradise" that is also known as the Doors for the Baptistery of Florence Cathedral by Lorenzo Ghiberti. According to Go Italy, most of the art sculptures that can be found in Museo dell'Opera del Duomo are associated with the Duomo complex of Florence.

The Palazzo Vecchio was initially called as the Palazzo della Signoria in honor of the Signoria of Florence. This town hall in Florence was built during the 13th century and signifies an important role in the history of the city. One of the most important attributes of this place is the Salone dei Cinquecento, a chamber that was built by Simone del Pollaiolo in 1494. The enormous walls and ceilings of the hall was painted with some of the works of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. These murals, including the "Genius of Victory", depict the battle scenes which led to the historic Florentine victory.

Bargello Museum has an amazing history before it became one of Italy's first museums. During the Middle Ages, this place was built to house the "Captain of Justice" and was used as prison and barracks to preserve peace and order in times of chaos and rebellion. However, in 1865, the Bargello was officially opened to the public as a national museum that stores a collection of Italian's Renaissance and gothic sculptures. This is also where you will find Michelangelo's "Pitti Tondo."Other works include the St. George Tabernacle, Bacchus, and Pescatore of Vincenzo Gemito.