Founded by Cosimo I de’ Medici in 1563, Accademia di Belle Arti is an Italian state fine arts academy in Florence. It was established with the help of renowned Italian painter and architect, Giorgio Vasari, with such names as Agnolo Bronzino and Michelangelo Buonarroti among its first members.
Browse the artwork on display at Galleria dell’Accademia, which was founded in 1784 adjacent to the Accademia di Belle Arti. It was initiated by Peter Leopold of Lorraine, Grand Duke of Tuscany, who wanted the academy’s young artists to be inspired by the works of great masters.
Admire paintings by Sandro Botticelli and Paolo Uccello, as well as Michelangelo’s statue of Saint Matthew and his original “David” that’s been housed here since 1873. In addition to its fine arts associations, the Accademia di Belle Arti also has links to Galileo Galilei, who studied technical drawing here.
Getting there
The Accademia di Belle Arti is a 15-minute walk from the Firenze railway station and can be accessed by the number 10 bus that stops outside the entrance. Florence Airport, Peretola is a 20-minute drive away.