A BON DROYT
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Living in Florence, with its frescoes, statues, churches, squares and museums containing works by world's greatest artists, is an art lover's dream come true. The Museum of Orsanmichele is a little out of the ordinary. Originally a granary, the Church of
Orsanmichele is famous for the tabernacles containing statues of saints on the outside walls, one for each of the ancient
Florentine guilds. The interior is much smaller than the Duomo, with stained-glass windows and most of the altar space dominated by a Gothic shrine of Mary, known the Madonna of Grace. The
museum on the first fl oor of the church can be reached via an outside walkway and, like the church, offers a more intimate atmosphere compared to many other Florentine museums. The exhibition (open until April 27th) features an unusual collection of medieval swords from all over Europe (about twenty- fi ve swords, along with cavalier spurs and a cross), though it is not easy for non-Italians to understand the descriptions, as few names are recognisable and most of the artifacts belonged to unknown soldiers. However even people who know nothing about the evolution of weaponry will enjoy the fi ne craftsmanship and noting the differences in weight between a knight's sword and a foot soldier's sword. The title - A Bon Droyt - is also interesting as it means "as we have the right to use". Orsanmichele is on the right in Via dei Calzaiuoli, three blocks south of the Duomo. A Bon Droyt. The swords of free men, knights & saints Church and Museum of Orsanmichele Piazza San Marco, 1 - tel. 055.2388608 Until March 29th
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http://www.polomuseale.fi renze.it
