Ponte Vecchio is a popular medieval bridge in Florence crossing the Arno River with bustling tourist everyday. No wonder it is tagged as one of the famous places in Italy.
The name Ponte Vecchio is Italian meaning Old Bridge. The name suits the bridge because it dates back during the Roman Empire. Originally, the bridge was made out of wood but a flood destroyed it in the 1333 and was rebuilt in 1345; thus the bridge we see today, is a three arched bridge made of stone. The architecture of the bridge is mainly attributed to Taddeo Gaddi. In 1565, Giorgio Vasari was commissioned to build the upper part of the bridge, today it is called the Vasariano Corridor.
The corridor connects the Ufizzi Gallery and the Pitti Palace and functions as an art gallery. During World War II, it was the only bridge spared by the Germans during the siege in Italy; however, access to the bridge was obstructed by destroying the buildings at both sides of the bridge.
Today, the bridge is lined with leather and jewelry shops, hawking their craft learned through the ages. You can find deals outside the bridge as well.
Midway the bridge, you can enjoy the view of the Arno River and the Tuscan houses near the shores. It is also a good idea to go to the bridge during sunset. Aside from the fact that the volume of tourist is not that bigger, you can also view the river with the city lights illuminated on it, making it more picturesque.
Different musicians and buskers also frequent the place during sunset to entertain tourists. You might also want to visit Ponte Santa Trinita and Ponte alla Grazie to take good pictures of Ponte Vecchio with the sunset. It’ll be a great way to end your day in Florence.
Need to know more about the Ponte Vecchio Family, are there any decendent left?
what is the bridge made out of
When was it opened???
the bridge is now made out of stone, but the original roman structure was made out of stone piers and a wooden portion on top. In the bridge has records from ancient Rome, but the current bridge has been in existence since 1345, when it was reconstructed. The family who had the greatest infulence on the bridge was medici family, there is a lot information on them on the web (the should be substantial amount of information if you wanted to know about the ‘Ponte Vecchio family’)
What is it made out of
what special challenges did the architescs face
does anyone know who wrote the artical
how long did it take to rebuild it?
when was it made?
Why are you so stupid!!!!! just read the artical and find out what the bridge was made of (stone!!!!!).
This has great information. The comments on when was it made, and what was it made out of, or how long did it take to rebuild are pointless. Since all they needed to do was read about it to answer their questions. Maybe do some math, lets see.. Flooded in 1333, and rebuilt in 1334.. Hmm.. Is it really that complicated ? It also even says that the first original bridge was made out of wood, then was flooded. The next was made out of stone when they rebuilt it.
I’m doing a project on the ponte vecchio bridge any sites you you’d recommend
It was made in 1333 but was destroyed by a flood and reconstructed in 1345