Ponte Vecchio in Florence

Built very close to the Roman crossing, the Ponte Vecchio, or Old Bridge, was the only bridge across the Arno in Florence until 1218. The current bridge was rebuilt after a flood in 1345.

There have been shops on Ponte Vecchio since the 13th century. Initially, there were all types of shops, including butchers and fishmongers and, later, tanners, whose "industrial waste" caused a pretty rank stench in the area.

When the Medici moved from Palazzo Vecchio to Palazzo Pitti, they decided they needed a connecting route ( the Vasari Corridor ) from the Uffizi to the Palazzo Pitti on the other side of the Arno that would enable them to keep out of contact with the people they ruled.

Видео Ponte Vecchio in Florence канала Celestial Light Productions