The sculptor Michelangelo spent three years creating David between 1501 and 1504. He was just 26 when he embarked on the project. The statue depicts the biblical hero who killed the giant Goliath. It was commissioned by the rulers of Florence as a symbol of the city's commercial and military strength. It was unveiled to the public on the 8th of September, 1504 and remained on display outside in the Piazza della Signoria for 350 years. It was moved indoors in 1873 to protect it from the elements. Art lovers have been calling for years for the statue to be relocated to the safety of a purpose-built, earthquake proof museum to insulate it from the vibrations from traffic and road construction