Michelangelo’s sculpture of David is still recognised today as one of the most famous sculptures in the world, 500 years after it’s creation. There are currently three Statues of David with only one being the Authentic masterpiece by Michelangelo.
Click here to get a Guided Tour of the Statue of David.

The Story of David

David was a biblical hero and Shepard who sided with the Israelite’s against Goliath the giant. His story is one of courage and faith.

Goliath made a bet that the Israelite’s were too scared to fight him and he was right. Despite this, he pursued them to fight for for days before David stepped forward to defeat Goliath using his wit and connection to God. A story that would make David a hero and the future king of Israel.

History of Michelangelo’s David

In 1501 when Michelangelo was in his 20’s, He was commissioned by the Opera del Duomo to create the Statue of David. The Statue was to be located on the Cathedral of Florence.

The marble block provided to Michelangelo had been worked on by two previous sculptors. Agostino di Duccio and Antonio Rossellino, both had abandoned the project because the marble contained imperfections.

Michelangelo accepted the challenge and worked to free David from the block of marble he was trapped in. A project that took 3 years to finish, completing it in 1504 and which depicted David before his triumphant defeat over Goliath. This was unusual as most sculptors and artists would portray David after the defeat of Goliath.

However, Due to the high level of detail in Michelangelo’s sculpture, A committee decided to move the Statue of David to Piazza Della Signora. The new location was chosen so the intrinsic detail of the sculpture could be admired.

The Statue of David was moved for it’s finals time in 1873, inside the Accademia Gallery in Florence. This was to protect it from further weather damage.

How to See the Statue of David

The impressive statue can viewed inside the Accademia Gallery in Florence today. The Gallery is open 8:15am to 6:15pm and free every first Sunday of the month but Closed on Mondays

The lines can get very long and the artwork does not always have information displayed in front of them. We’d recommend a guided tour to skip the line with an Art Historian who can tell you all about the treasures inside to make the most of your time in Florence.

Where Are The Replicas?

One replica can be found in Piazza Della Signora where the original Statue of David was once located. Created in 1910 and easy to mistake as the original. We’d highly recommend a visit to the square when visiting Florence. It also includes sculptures from other Renaissance sculptors such as Benvenuto Cellini, Vacca, Giambologna and Fancelli.

The second was created from bronze and as a result, is instantly recognisable as a replica, It’s located in Piazzale Michelangelo on the hillside overlooking the city. The bronze statue of David was placed in Piazzale Michelangelo in 1863, when the original statue was still in Piazza Della Signora.

Read more about Michelangelo here:
The Vatican: Who painted the Sistine Chapel?

Tours & Accommodation

We also have a range of great tours available in Florence, both Private and Small Group tours. Click the link below and feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

Be sure to also check out some accommodation using the search bar below, there are some great deals available!