Although Michelangelo Buonarroti was the owner of this house in Florence, he never lived there himself. It was his grandnephew who transformed the palazzo into a museum and had the Casa Buonarroti painted with frescoes by Florentine artists in honour of his genius uncle.
Casa Buonarroti Florence
Address, Entrance fee and Opening hours
Opening hours: From 1 March to 31 October from 10:00 to 16:30; from 1 November to 28 February from . Closed on Tuesdays. 1 January, Easter Sunday, 15 August, 25 December closed. Admission: 8 Euro (discount: 5 Euro). Combi-ticket with Santa Croce Complex: 8,50 Euro. Address: Via Ghibellina 70, Florence. Tel. +39 055241752.
History Casa Buonarroti
When Michelangelo Buonarroti died, he left the house to his cousin Leonardo. Leonardo‘s son Michelangelo turned the building into a tribute to his illustrious namesake.
The museum was opened in 1859, after the last descendant of the family, Cosimo, had left the house with all its contents to the city. These contents included various drawings and sculptures made by Michelangelo.
These original drawings are on the upper floor, as is one of his oldest sculptures, the “Madonna of the Stairs” (Madonna della Scala), which was probably made in 1491.
The “Battle of the Centaurs” (Battaglia dei Centauri) can also be seen in the Casa Buonarroti. This was one of Michelangelo‘s best early creations. In this work, the emphasis on the male body, which would later become even more evident, is already very noticeable, as is the use of rough, unfinished marble to achieve certain effects.