Ponte Vecchio

Ponte Vecchio is the oldest bridge and the only one to have preserved its original appearance. The first bridge at this site was built during the ancient Roman era. It is first mentioned in documents from the year 996. In 1117, it was destroyed by a flood and soon rebuilt in stone, but it was again swept away by floodwaters in 1333, leaving only two central piers.

The bridge, as we know it, was constructed in 1345 by Neri di Fioravanti. The architect altered the bridge's outline, creating a sturdy and elegant structure composed of three arches.

In the mid-15th century, a decision was made to rid the streets of Florence of the stench arising from meat trading. As a result, all butcher shops moved to the Old Bridge, turning it into a medieval meat supermarket. However, there were far more butchers in the city than the length of the bridge could accommodate. This led to the addition of extra shops jutting out from both sides of the bridge, hanging over the water. A century later, goldsmiths replaced the butchers, and by the early 17th century, the bridge had acquired its second name – "The Golden Bridge".

In 1556, architect Giorgio Vasari, by the duke's orders, designed a corridor that was one kilometer long, running above the bridge and the buildings on it. This allowed the ruler to move freely from the Palazzo Vecchio, where he worked, to the Palazzo Pitti, where he lived. Special windows in the corridor enabled him to keep an eye on the city's situation.

During World War II, Ponte Vecchio was not destroyed, unlike all other historical bridges in Florence. According to one version, when German troops were retreating from the city in 1944, they blew up all the bridges, but Ponte Vecchio was saved by Resistance fighters. However, many locals and guides claim that it was spared by a special order from Hitler.

Ponte Vecchio consists of three arches. The largest one is the central arch (30 meters in length), with the side ones being slightly smaller (27 meters). The height of the arches varies from 3.5 to 4.5 meters. On both sides of the bridge are shops and craftsmen's houses, which are not fully contained and hang over the river. The passage between the houses is not a straight line, as the geometry was disrupted due to illegal extensions by traders. At the very center of Ponte Vecchio is an open area where tourists come to view the river and the neighboring bridges. This place's appearance is associated with Hitler's visit to Florence in 1938. For a better view, some houses in the center of Ponte Vecchio were demolished, and in their place, three large arched windows were constructed.

The western side of the bridge is known for the bust of Benvenuto Cellini (an acclaimed artist and jeweler) created by Raphael Romanelli and installed in May 1901. This location traditionally attracts "love locks".

Today, this corridor is considered one of the world's finest art galleries, housing around 700 original paintings from the 16th-17th centuries: masters from Rome and Naples, as well as a collection of self-portraits by famous artists from Italy and around the world. Among them are self-portraits by Raphael, Vasari, Rubens, Velasquez, Kustodiev, and Kiprensky.

Visits to the Vasari Corridor are possible only through a group tour, which must be booked in advance at the Uffizi or one of the city's travel agencies.

Ponte Vecchio is so popular in Italy and beyond that it can be found mentioned in many works: Puccini's aria O mio babbino caro, Alexandre Dumas's novel "Ascanio", Dan Brown's book "Inferno", the movie "Perfume", and even as a location in the game Assassin's Creed.