Florence
Welcome to Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance and home to countless museums, churches, and other historical sites. While it's practically impossible to document everything to see in Florence, these locations are some of the most noteworthy or my personal favorites. Read on to discover the art history of Florence.
Birth of Venus, Sandro Botticelli (1485). The Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy
The Uffizi Gallery
The Uffizi Gallery is the best place to see Renaissance painting. It's a large museum, and home to works by artists like Botticelli, da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian, and Caravaggio. The Gallery also has an impressive collection of ancient sculpture.
If you only have time to visit one museum in Florence, I'd recommend this one. I'd also highly recommend blocking out a few hours to explore their collection, as there is a lot to see inside.
David, Michelangelo (1504). Galleria dell'Accademia, Florence, Italy
Galleria dell’Accademia
Galleria dell'Accademia is home to Michelangelo's David, as well as a handful of other sculptures by Michelangelo and a small collection of paintings by other Renaissance artists. It's much smaller than the Uffizi, and makes a great quick stop on your trip to Florence.
*Note: there is a replica of David in Palazzo Vecchio, but the real statue is only on view inside Galleria dell'Accademia.
David, Donatello (c. 1440). The Bargello, Florence, Italy
The Bargello
Before becoming an art museum, the Bargello was once a prison. Today, it is a great place to see early and high Renaissance sculpture.
You'll find sculptures by artists like Donatello, Verrocchio, and Michelangelo, as well as the two sculptures that are credited with beginning the Renaissance. It's more of a mid-size museum, falling somewhere between the Uffizi Gallery and Galleria dell'Accademia.
Madonna della Seggiola, Raphael (1513-1514). The Pitti Palace, Florence, Italy
The Pitti Palace
The Pitti Palace is filled with paintings by artists like Raphael, Titian, and Caravaggio. The collection is not laid out like a typical museum gallery, but rather the walls are covered in paintings similar to how the rooms might have been decorated when the palace was in use.
The Palace itself was once occupied by the Medici family and the King of Italy, so the building itself is as impressive as the artwork, and also contains a modern art museum and a look at the royal apartments.
he Story of Joseph from The Gates of Paradise, Lorenzo Ghiberti (c. 1425-1452). Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, Florence, Italy
Museo dell’Opera del Duomo
Museo dell'Opera del Duomo is near the Baptistery and the Duomo, so if you're already in the area I recommend checking out the museum. It's home to sculptures by Donatello and Michelangelo as well as the original baptistry doors (known as The Gates of Paradise). It also has information about the construction of the Duomo.
On that note, I also highly recommend spending time in the Duomo itself. You can climb to the top to see some of the best views in Florence and get a look inside of the famous dome.
Night, Michelangelo (1520-1534). Basillica di San Lorenzo, Florence, Italy
The Medici Chapel
If you're a fan of Michelangelo's sculptures and you're looking for something a little bit less crowded, I'd recommend the Medici Chapel in Basilica di San Lorenzo. It features an entire room designed by Michelangelo that's filled with his sculptures.
The rest of the basilica is worth a visit as well, as it is home to impressive Renaissance architecture and artifacts, as well as the tombs of several members of the Medici family.
Christ and St. Thomas, Andrea del Verrocchio (c. 1483). Orsanmichele, Florence, Italy
Orsanmichele
Orsanmichele is one of Florence's many churches, and is notable for the statues that line the exterior. However, the statues outside are copies, and the real works, including sculptures by Verrocchio and Donatello, can be found inside.
Orsanmichele is a very small museum, and definitely less crowded than some of the other locations on this list. It's worth a visit to see the sculptures and the views of Florence from the upper floors.
This list is far from comprehensive, but hits the main highlights and the most well known art in Florence. This is also not meant to be a trip itinerary. I'd recommend selecting a few locations from this list based on your personal interests instead of trying to visit them all. I'd also suggest booking tickets for these museums ahead of time, as they can get extremely busy and sell out.