The Palazzo del Bargello is oldest public building in Florence. It was built between 1255 and 1261 to house the Capitano del Popolo, a 'magistrate', an official who mediated between the powerful noble families of the Italian city-states and was the highest magistrate of the Florence.
In 1574, the Medici family dispensed with the function and the building became the the headquarters if the Captain of Justice, who was charged with keeping the peace and justice. Essentially Florence's senior policeman. It became a prison and remained as the Florentine police headquarters until 1859. The Governor of Tuscany directed that the Bargello become a museum, a function that remains as it's current use.
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| Museo Nazionale del Bargello |
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| Museo Nazionale del Bargello |