Ponte Vecchio

Ponte Vecchio is a medieval bridge, found in the city of Florence crossing over the Arno river and is so ancient that it dates back to the Roman times. Destroyed by a flood in 1333, it was rebuilt in 1345 by Taddeo Gaddi. In 1565 Giorgio Vasar was commissioned to upgrade the bridge, adding an upper corridor above it. This bridge is famous for the fact that houses are positioned along its span, some of them prodding out to the side. Initially, however, they were workshops where shopkeepers such as butchers and tanners practiced their trades. In 1593 they were replaced with goldsmiths, because the shops produced too much garbage and caused a foul stench. The Ponte Vecchio was the only bridge in Florence that survived WWII unscathed and it was the only bridge spared by the Germans during the siege in Italy.