Galleria dell'Accademia, Florence

This was a great stop and of course the must-see part about this museum is Michaelangelo's famous statue of David. Unfortunately, I don't know how much it was to get in because I think the tickets were included in our tour package but it can't be very expensive. Probably about the same or cheaper as going up inside the Duomo.

Ok, I know that it is bad and wrong to take pictures in certain museums. But come on! This is the David!

Michelangelo's David, finished by Michelangelo in 1504, is widely considered to be a masterpiece of Renaissance sculpture, and one of Michelangelo's greatest works of sculpture. David portrays the Biblical David at the moment that he decides to engage Goliath. This 5.17 meter (17') marble statue was commissioned as a symbol of the Florentine Republic. The statue was originally placed in the Piazza Signoria, just in front of the Palazzo della Signoria. To protect it from damage, in 1873 it was moved to the Accademia Gallery.

The proportions of the statue are not quite true to the human form; the head and upper body are somewhat larger than the proportions of the lower body. While some have suggested that this is of the mannerist style, the most commonly accepted explanation is that the statue was originally intended to be placed on a church fascade or high pedestal, and that the proportions would appear correct when the statue was viewed from some distance below.

Michelangelo's David is based on the artistic discipline of disegno, which is built on knowledge of the male human form. Under this discipline, sculpture is considered to be the finest form of art because it mimics divine creation. Because Michelangelo adhered to the concepts of disegno, he worked under the premise that the image of David was already in the block of stone he was working on -- in much the same way as the human soul is thought to be found within the physical body.

Also housed in the gallery are four of Michelangelo's prisoners. The theme of this is that the artist felt that he could not free the human image that was captured within the blocks of marble that he was working on. This concept fascinates me probably more than the image of David itself.

I posted a picture of a statue of Michaelangelo because they didn't allow photos at the Acedemia either. Going to Florence without seeing David is like visiting Rome without seeing the Coloseum.
Oh, and there are other works of art in this museaum too. A shame they are forgotten by the celebrity of David.

I went there with my school and admission was free. I could not believe that I was about to see The David but there it was in all its glory. We all just stood there and looked at it. Its so beautiful in person!

But dont forget that its not just the David in the museum, there are so many things to see.

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The Galleria dell'Accademia is an important and popular gallery in Florence (probably second to the Uffizi).

The main draw card at the Galleria dell'Accademia is that famous statue of Michelangelo's David.

This statue was carved from a single block of marble - amazing!

You are not supposed to take photos....but I may have snuck one off, without a flash of course.

It is a good idea to pre-book tickets, other wise you will be in for a long wait...

Video taking and photography is not allowed inside the Academia, I have to sneak to take this picture (without flash). The statue is amazing ! I never realized how tall it is (until I7') saw it in my very own eyes.

Michelangelo was 29 years old when he started work on this 17' slab of marble. The result of his work..."David". It was unveiled in 1504, and is considered the world's most famous sculpture. It takes your breath away as you round the corner and see it for the first time.

The museum is closed on Mondays, and you can expect long lines.

If you decide that you'd like to see the Statue of David I recommend that you wait until the end of the day. In the morning the lines are very long and it can be quite a chore to just get in. However, we went late in the afternoon and easily purchased tickets for right away. You can also purchase tickets in advance if you would like to plan ahead a certain time, etc. Tickets can usually be purchased at your hotel (for an additional fee) or at the museum.