Museo Nazionale del Bargello.

Museo Nazionale del Bargello - National Museum of the Bargello, Firenze, Città Metropolitana di Firenze, Toscana, Repubblica Italiana.

   The palace was built in 1255 by order of the Fazione del Popolo as a fortress and arsenal for the noble families of Florence.
   It was the first monumental public building of the Council, the seat of the Podestà. In the sixteenth century, it became a prison for the chief of police, the Bargello, or policeman, from which it received its current name. In 1865, an impressive collection of Florentine Renaissance sculptures and a series of small Renaissance bronze figures was exhibited; this included works by Michelangelo, Donatello, Cellini, and Gianbologna. The walls of the medieval courtyard are decorated with the symbol of the Podestà and 16th-century sculptures, including Gianbologna's "L'Oceano," which was once found in the Boboli Gardens.

   The second floor houses numerous examples of glazed terracotta in two rooms, including Andrea della Robbia's "Busto di fanciullo." There is also an exhibition of Italian medals and a remarkable collection of Renaissance bronzes. The Hall of Arms contains medieval ivories, which are fascinating both as armor and weapons.

    The core of the collection consists of items from the Medici and Ubrino armory, enriched by donations from Carranda and Ressman.