History of Florence on the Ponte Vecchio. The ponte vecchio bridge in florence is the most photogenic bridge

What is famous for the Vecchio Bridge in Florence: a bit of history and modernity. How the Ponte Vecchio managed to survive the devastating floods and why it resembles from afar. Where is the old bridge of Florence located, how to get to it on your own from the city center and what to see.

Ponte Vecchio is the oldest and most recognizable bridge in. Not a single tourist avoids it. During its existence, it was rebuilt several times due to constant floods. Its name is translated from Italian Ponte Vecchio means " old bridge". Today, guests of the city can see it in its original appearance, since almost nothing has changed here for many centuries.

Excursions in Florence and surroundings

Most interesting excursions in the capital of Tuscany, these are routes from local residents. We recommend starting with sightseeing tour(Ponte Vecchio in the program). And then choose a program with a twist - at least gastronomic tour, at least an exit route, at least medieval Florence.

From the history of the Vecchio bridge

The decision to build the Ponte Vecchio bridge at this point on the Arno River was not accidental. Once in its place there was a bridge with wooden superstructures from the time of the ancient Roman era. However, as a result of the flood, it was destroyed, and then rebuilt again from stone. But this did not help to cope with the flow of water. The structure was again demolished by a natural disaster in 1333. According to historians, the work of its restoration was entrusted to Neri di Fioravanti. It was possible to complete the construction in 1345. After that, the bridge remained for many centuries a place where a lively trade was conducted.

Interestingly, during the Second World War, Ponte Vecchio was not destroyed. The rest of the historical buildings in the city were much less fortunate, many of them were badly damaged.

From the middle of the 15th century, butcher shops from all over Florence were moved here. Their number turned out to be much larger than expected, then it was decided to make several additional outbuildings.

Over time, the straight line of buildings that ran along both sides of the bridge has changed a lot due to various transformations. In 1556, on the orders of Duke Cosimo I de Medici, the so-called Vasari Corridor passing over the Ponte Vecchio itself. This corridor was named after the architect who worked on its creation. On it, the Duke could easily move from the Vecchio Palace to the residence on the other side of the Arno - the Pitti Palace.

Despite the fact that the bridge was rebuilt several times, it failed to withstand another flood in 1966. Disaster hit the city, causing damage to many buildings. Of course, everything has been restored and restored for decades, but the city authorities had to bear enormous costs.

Attractions Ponte Vecchio

In the western part of the building there is a bust of the Italian jeweler and artist - Benvenuto Cellini. It was created by a sculpture named Raffaello Romanelli, who was born in Florence. Among the residents of the city and tourists, the tradition of hanging so-called “locks of love” on the fences around the statue is popular.

* This "cute" habit is followed by unrestrained lovers all over the world - in particular, forged lattices suffer from it, the fences of the lovers' bridge recently collapsed, and locals often oppose marginal "tradition".

Entrance to the Vecchio bridge from the embankment

Jewelry shop on the bridge (Florence, Italy)

Jewelry as a souvenir (Vecchio Bridge, Florence)

On the Ponte Vecchio itself, there are also shops, shops and workshops. You can mainly buy gold items, jewelry and themed souvenirs from Florence (postcards, magnets, ceramic plates, key rings, guides).

Unfortunately, it is currently not possible to get into that part of Kodidore Vasari, which is located directly above the bridge, since it is closed to outsiders. The main reason is the unsatisfactory state of the structure, which, although not on the verge of destruction, is still not adapted to the tourist load. Perhaps the authorities will take care of this problem and solve the problem with access, because the multi-story superstructure above the Ponte Vecchio invariably raises questions and stirs the hearts of travelers. Everyone dreams of walking the "dear Medici" from the Vecchio Palace to the Pitti!

Ponte Vecchio is the oldest bridge in Florence, Italy. three-arch bridge, which was built on the site of two previous bridges: a bridge of the ancient Roman era, a bridge that collapsed in 1117, and a bridge demolished by a flood in 1333. Now Ponte Vecchio is a symbol of the city and perhaps this is its brightest place.

The Ponte Vecchio bridge was built in 1345 by the architect Neri di Fioravanti (Italian: Neri di Fioravante), who designed and created a fairly solid structure, it was supposed to be much stronger than the predecessor bridge, which could not withstand the flood in 1333. Although the construction of the current bridge is quite strong, but in 1966 the Vecchio bridge was badly damaged during a large flood of the Arno River.

The most striking feature that distinguishes the Vecchio Bridge from others is the houses located on both sides of it. In the center of the spans of the bridge, a row of buildings is interrupted and turns into an open area from which you can admire the river and other bridges of the city. In 1565, on the orders of Cosimo I de' Medici, the "Vasari Corridor" was built - the Uffizi Gallery and the Vasari Corridor - a covered passage that runs over the Ponte Vecchio bridge and connects the Uffizi with the Pitti Palace, which was used exclusively by members of the court.

Strange small round windows with bars were made along the corridor, according to legend, they were created by order of the ruler in order to eavesdrop on what people are talking about below on the bridge. At that time, butcher shops were located in the lower part of the bridge, but over time, unpleasant smells of perishable products began to emanate from the market, and in 1593 he categorically banned the trade in perishable products here, and jewelry stores and workshops appeared in their place on the Ponte Vecchio. In this regard, it was also called the "Golden Bridge".

During World War II, the Ponte Vecchio was not destroyed by the Germans during their retreat on August 4, 1944, unlike all other bridges in Florence. Hitler's special order was given to leave the bridge intact. Access to it was, however, hampered by ruined buildings on both sides of the river. Later, all buildings were rebuilt, some of them original projects, and part of the new.

An interesting fact, the word "bankrupt" came from here. Once traded on the Ponte Vecchio bridge, a seller whose trade was so unprofitable that he could not pay for the place and went into debt, for this he was beaten by soldiers and his trading shop (banco) was once smashed (rotto) and he could not do more trading. After that, the process of debt squabbles of those times fit into such a familiar word "bancorotto" or "broken table": no table - no trade.

The Ponte Vecchio bridge is a stone crossing across the Arno that is completely different from an ordinary bridge. The building is so old that it even remembers ancient Roman times. Then it, of course, was a wooden ferry, which did not prevent it from remaining the most important element social life Florence.
History of Ponte Vecchio long and curvy. The bridge was repeatedly washed away by the floods that often occurred in the city, rebuilt anew, was destroyed again and again. In the 15th century, this territory became the most smelling in Florence, because it was here that numerous butcher shops were moved away from noble mansions. In those years, trading in veal and chicken brains was allowed only on the Old Bridge. All waste from the meat business was thrown into the river, which carried them far beyond the city.
There were many butchers in the city, the bridge was not very long, because its growth went in breadth. Merchants built their shops in such a way that they bulged over the bridge, already hanging almost above the water. This is how we see the Ponte Vecchio bridge today. Here are just shops here now with expensive and very expensive jewelry. Even the simplest ring here costs at least 200 euros.
The construction of the Ponte Vecchio bridge was erected at the narrowest point of the Arno River. Almost opposite it are the Uffizi galleries. This is one of the oldest bridges in the Tosan capital, the only one that has been able to retain almost its original appearance. In its place, however, there were other structures: a bridge of the ancient Roman era, which collapsed in 1117, as well as a bridge destroyed by a flood in 1333.
modern building first appeared in 1345. Then it was erected by the architect Neri di Fioravanti. The design was strong, but at the same time very elegant. Then the bridge consisted of three arches. Distinctive feature Ponte Vecchio - houses that are crowded on both sides. Over time, the straight line of the buildings of the XIV century was broken by various transformations. In the center of the span of the bridge, a row of buildings is interrupted, turning into an open area, from where a view of the river and other bridges of the city opens.
Above the buildings is the Vasari Corridor. It was created by the architect so that Cosimo I would pass from the Palazzo Vecchio to the Palazzo Pitti without feeling a strong stench from the butchers' shops. Along the corridor there are small round windows in a row, from which the ruler eavesdropped on what they were talking about. simple people On Bridge. This is mentioned in the legend. Jewelry shops and workshops appeared on the site of shops in the 16th century. Since then, the Ponte Vecchio bridge has also been called the Golden Bridge. There is also a bust of Benvenuto Cellini. "Locks of love" are chained to it.

The bridge in Florence Ponte Vecchio (Ponte Vecchio, in translation - the old bridge), built in 1345 across the Arno River, located at the narrowest point of the river, almost opposite the Uffizi Gallery. The Ponte Vecchio bridge, built by the architect Neri di Fioravanti and having a length of 30 m, is now one of the most famous bridges peace. This is the most ancient bridge in Florence, which, moreover, has retained its original appearance and has not undergone reconstruction like other bridges.
At first, butcher shops were located on the Ponte Vecchio bridge, but Lorenzo Medici, who hated the smell of meat, replaced them with jewelry workshops. From the 16th century on the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, jewelers' shops and shops were built. Since then, the bridge has earned itself a different, unofficial name - the "Golden Bridge". To this day, only the only jewelry workshop and shop of the Peccini family has survived. There is also a bust of Benvenuto Cellini on the bridge.
This thirty-meter bridge in Florence managed to survive and survived both the floods and the bombings of 1944. November 4, 1966 it was almost destroyed during a great flood, but, nevertheless, managed to resist even when the water rose to the level of the windows and began to penetrate inside, washing everything away and taking away whole shop windows with it. Now the Ponte Vecchio bridge is a symbol of Florence.
The famous Golden Bridge in Florence has its own secret - right above the shops built on it there is a long kilometer-long corridor built in the 16th century by order of Cosima I de Medici. This corridor is called Vasari, it is closed to the public and the keys to it are now kept by only one person - Roberto Zanieri. If you walk along the corridor, then along its entire length on the walls you can see a huge collection of self-portraits, the largest in the world.

Why did the ruler need the Vasari corridor? Through it, the Medici, along the Florentine bridge, could freely get directly to their palace, the Palazzo Pitti from Palazzo Vecchio through the Uffizi Gallery without an escort. A similar passage through which King Priam got from his palace to the palaces of his sons was described in the Iliad. Perhaps it was the reading of the Iliad that inspired Cosimo de' Medici to build the Vasari Corridor, passing over the Ponte Vecchio bridge in Florence. Another advantage of Vasari was that he allowed the ruler to observe what was happening in the city through small windows, while remaining unnoticed by the townspeople. In other words, to see while remaining invisible.
Currently, Florence has ten bridges. Until 1957 there were only six of them, and over the course of a number of centuries they were repeatedly rebuilt. All bridges, with the exception of Ponte Vecchio, were reconstructed after World War II. However, before the Second World War, during the reign of Mussolini, especially for the arrival of Hitler, from the inside of the Vasari Corridor in the central part was made Observation deck with large rectangular windows that have survived to the present day.

Ponte Vecchio(Ponte Vecchio, translated from Italian“old bridge”) - one of the symbols glorious city Florence (Italy) and one of the most famous bridges in the world. Spread across the narrowest point of the Arno River, where in ancient times there was a ford, it is a 95-meter arched masterpiece of stone, built back in 1345 and still retaining its original appearance.
In the world Ponte Vecchio is better known as " golden bridge", which was assigned to him not at all for his ancient roots and architectural value. The fact is that earlier meat merchants were active there, which, according to the then ruler, Ferdinand I, not only annoyed those around him with an unpleasant smell, but also negatively affected its prestige. Soon the duke ordered to replace the butcher shops with jewelry stores and workshops. And so, starting from 1593, jewelers' shops began to appear along the bridge, who received the exclusive right to sell their creations here. As for the jewelry workshops, only one has survived to this day. , owned by the Peccini family.Since then and until today, the Golden Bridge concentrates in itself the largest number yellow gold jewelry throughout Florence. Platinum, white gold and gems are also very popular with tourists. There are always quite a lot of potential buyers there, however, many of them remain potential, since not everyone can overpower the prices for local jewelry.

The oldest bridge in Florence was built on the site of two previous bridges. The first was erected in the ancient Roman era, and, according to the testimony of imperial historians, stood on stone pylons and was covered with wooden flooring. He courageously survived the fall of Rome and stood until the flood that hit him in 1117. The second, already built of stone, was again subjected to the destructive power of the water that overflowed the banks of the Arno in 1333.
The Old Bridge acquired its modern appearance in 1345, when the architect Neri di Fioravanti connected the banks of the river stone structure, which is a beautiful and at the same time solid three-arch structure. On both sides of the bridge, according to the traditions of the Middle Ages, residential buildings were built. Over the centuries of its existence, the straight line of buildings was broken as a result of some transformations.
In 1444, in order to free the streets from the stench emanating from the butchers' shops scattered throughout the city, they were ordered to move to the shops located on the Ponte Vecchio bridge. Multiple shops made it, despite its modest size, a real medieval shopping mall. But after more than a hundred years, as you know, they were replaced by jewelers.

In 1565, on the orders of Duke Cosimo I, the architect Giorgio Vasari built a kilometer-long corridor over the buildings located on the bridge, called the Vasari Corridor. With its help, the ruler could, without escort and obstacles, move from administrative center Palazzo Vecchio (Florence City Hall) to the private residence of the Medici, Palazzo Pitti. Another positive aspect associated with the presence of the corridor was the ability to monitor the situation in the city through small windows, while remaining completely unnoticed. At the moment, it is closed to the public, and the only key to it is kept by a man named Roberto Zanieri. The lucky ones who manage to get into this mysterious place, will be able to see there the world's largest collection of self-portraits, which is located along the entire length of the walls of the Vasari corridor.

In 1938, during the reign of Mussolini, Ponte Vecchio was visited by Adolf Hitler, especially for whose arrival an observation deck with large panoramic windows was created in the central part of the Vasari Corridor, which have survived to this day. After the retreat of the Nazi troops, it was the only bridge in Florence that the Germans did not destroy during the hostilities in 1944.

Most beautiful bridge Florence has experienced many disasters over the centuries of its existence. In November 1966, a terrible flood hit the Ponte Vecchio, but he was able to withstand even when the water came up to the windows and penetrated inside, breaking shop windows with crushing force and carrying them away with the flow.
In the center of the Old Bridge, the rows of buildings are interrupted by two terraces, from which it is very convenient to admire the view of the Arno River and neighboring bridges. The eastern platform is topped by the Vasari Corridor, while the opposite platform is famous for the bust of Benvenuto Cellini, the most famous Florentine jeweler, whose memory is deeply revered in the professional environment. Created by the sculptor Rafael Romanelli, the monument was erected in memory of the merits of the jeweler on May 26, 1901.
The graceful Florentine Ponte Vecchio bridge with its charming arches and open area, framed by a series of houses, can be seen in the famous film "Perfumer: The Story of a Murderer" (2006).

Getting to Florence by a direct flight from Moscow will not work, so to see the Golden Bridge and other sights of the city, you need to look for tickets to big cities north of Italy (for example, Milan or Rome), and from there it will be possible to go to Florence by bus or train. You can also get to Florence by train from Pisa, where there are direct flights from Russia.