I was truly, and quite unexpectedly, awestruck when I saw David. I can’t explain why, but it was an emotional experience for me and I spent probably an hour admiring him.
Michelangelo’s famous statue depicts David before his battle with Goliath. David stands 5.16 meters or almost 17 feet and weighs 5,660 kg or almost 12,500 pounds. He was crafted from a single block of marble between 1501-1504 (and restored from 2003-2004). He was originally supposed to be displayed on Florence’s cathedral (the Duomo) but was too heavy. So he was displayed first in Piazza della Signoria, in front of Palazzo Vecchio (where a replica now stands). To protect against damage he was moved to the Accademia Gallery in 1873 where he now resides.