Ponte Vechio means “Old Bridge”: it is the most ancient bridge across the Arno river in Florence. The bridge was built in 1345 by Taddeo Gaddi and replaced an earlier one. On both sides of the bridges are little shops. Many of them are gold and silversmiths. The original tenants on the bridge were butchers and blacksmiths. Their shops however were transferred in 1593 and replaced by the gold and silversmiths.
Above the shops is a passageway, the Vasari Corridor. It was the private walkway of the Medici’s to connect the Pitty Palace and the offices in the Uffizi. The lenght of this gallery is almost a kilometre.
In 1944, the Nazi’s had ordered to destroy all bridges over the Arno river. Because of its long and rich history, the Ponte vechio was the only bridge who was saved.
Walking on the bridge