Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
in the crowd. Only 10 visitors are allowed in at a time; in high season reserve in advance
at the palace ticket desk.
Mercato Centrale
(Central Market; Piazza del Mercato Centrale; 7am-2pm Mon-Fri, to 5pm Sat)
Housed in a 19th-
century iron-and-glass structure, Florence's oldest and largest food market is noisy, smelly
and full of wonderful fresh produce to cook and eat. For a snack while you're here, follow
the stream of stallholders making their way to Da Nerbone (
Click here
).
MARKET
TOP OF CHAPTER
1
San Marco
Galleria dell'Accademia
(
www.polomuseale.firenze.it
; Via Ricasoli 60; adult/reduced €6.50/3.25; 8.15am-6.50pm Tue-Sun)
A
lengthy queue usually marks the door to this gallery, which was built to house one of the
Renaissance's greatest masterpieces, Michelangelo's
David.
Fortunately, the world's best-
known statue is well worth the wait.
Carved from a single block of marble, the statue of the nude warrior assumed its pedes-
tal in front of Palazzo Vecchio on Piazza della Signoria in 1504, providing Florentines
with a powerful emblem of their city's power, liberty and civic pride.
Michelangelo was also the master behind the unfinished
San Matteo
(St Matthew;
1504-08) and four
Prigioni ('
Prisoners' or 'Slaves'; 1521-30), also displayed in the gal-
lery. Adjacent rooms contain paintings by Andrea Orcagna, Taddeo Gaddi, Domenico
Ghirlandaio, Filippino Lippi and Sandro Botticelli.
ART GALLERY
