Spanning Florence for seven hundred years: the "Old Bridge over the Arno"

By MOOK Scenic Spots / Mo Fei
 
The Ponte Vecchio, also known as the Old Bridge, is a stone arch bridge in the city of Florence, Italy. Built during the Middle Ages, it spans the Arno River.

During World War II, all the bridges in Florence were destroyed except for the Old Bridge. Previously, the bridge had also been damaged by floods and was rebuilt in 1345.

Originally, the Old Bridge was home to tanneries, butcher shops, and workshops, whose wastewater polluted the Arno. When the Medici family came into power, they found the area too dirty for daily passage, so they ordered the shops to be rented out to jewelry merchants instead — a tradition that continues to this day.

The Old Bridge spans the narrowest part of the Arno River. The bridge is divided into three sections: the central arch has a span of 30 meters, the side arches are 27 meters each, and the height of the arches ranges from approximately 3.5 to 4.4 meters.

The shops on the bridge retain the appearance of medieval storefronts. When closing for the day, merchants pull their display cases inward and lock them, making the exteriors resemble safes — a truly unique feature.