Ponte Vecchio Florence
An ingenious piece of architecture, occupied by numerous silver and gold smiths’ shops
One of most photographed sights in the whole of Florence, the Ponte Vecchio is a veritable masterpiece of engineering the origins of which date as far back as the early 11th century. The bridge has been rebuilt on various occasions, due to flooding in 1117, 1345 and 1495.
Today's bridge is thought to be the work of the architect Taddeo Gaddi. The shops lining either side of the bridge were initially used by butchers - until 1593 when Prince Cosmo I' ordered them to leave and they were replaced by sweeter-smelling goldsmiths. To this very day Ponte Vecchio is home to some of the world's most famous jewellery shops.
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