Casa Buonarroti (Michelangelo Buonarroti House-Museum), Florence
Just a short stroll from Santa Croce Square, but away from the crowds, the Buonarroti House offers a quiet, intimate space to reflect on the legacy of Michelangelo. Originally owned by the artist himself and passed down through his nephew Leonardo, it was his great-nephew鈥擬ichelangelo Buonarroti the Younger鈥攚ho transformed the property into a loving tribute to one of the Renaissance era鈥檚 greatest minds.
While photography is not allowed, visitors are welcome to linger near two of Michelangelo鈥檚 earliest surviving sculptures. You鈥檒l also see his wooden architectural model for what was meant to be the grand marble fa莽ade of the Basilica of Saint Lawrence鈥攁n ambitious project he was later denied, a loss he reportedly never got over.
The two early sculptural works to see here are 鈥淢adonna of the Stairs鈥�, believed to be carved at age 15 and clearly influenced by Donatello, and 鈥淏attle of the Centaurs鈥�, completed around age 17, where Michelangelo broke away from classical form and dove into his own expressive style. He valued this second piece so much that he kept it for the rest of his life.
Beyond the sculptures, the museum holds more than 200 restored drawings, letters, sketches, and personal objects鈥攁mong them a sword, walking sticks, a pair of well-worn shoes, and even a possible self-portrait. Later generations added to the collection, including paintings that narrate key moments from Michelangelo鈥檚 life and career.
Tip: If you're planning to visit the Santa Croce complex, consider getting the combined ticket鈥攊t鈥檚 a great way to connect the dots between Florence鈥檚 artistic giants.
While photography is not allowed, visitors are welcome to linger near two of Michelangelo鈥檚 earliest surviving sculptures. You鈥檒l also see his wooden architectural model for what was meant to be the grand marble fa莽ade of the Basilica of Saint Lawrence鈥攁n ambitious project he was later denied, a loss he reportedly never got over.
The two early sculptural works to see here are 鈥淢adonna of the Stairs鈥�, believed to be carved at age 15 and clearly influenced by Donatello, and 鈥淏attle of the Centaurs鈥�, completed around age 17, where Michelangelo broke away from classical form and dove into his own expressive style. He valued this second piece so much that he kept it for the rest of his life.
Beyond the sculptures, the museum holds more than 200 restored drawings, letters, sketches, and personal objects鈥攁mong them a sword, walking sticks, a pair of well-worn shoes, and even a possible self-portrait. Later generations added to the collection, including paintings that narrate key moments from Michelangelo鈥檚 life and career.
Tip: If you're planning to visit the Santa Croce complex, consider getting the combined ticket鈥攊t鈥檚 a great way to connect the dots between Florence鈥檚 artistic giants.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Florence. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Casa Buonarroti (Michelangelo Buonarroti House-Museum) on Map
Sight Name: Casa Buonarroti (Michelangelo Buonarroti House-Museum)
Sight Location: Florence, Italy (See walking tours in Florence)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Florence, Italy (See walking tours in Florence)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
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