The Ponte Vecchio: How Florence’s Oldest Bridge has Withstood the Test of Time
- Clare Meyers
- May 30, 2023
- 5 min read
Connecting the two halves of the city, the Ponte Vecchio is as iconic as it is essential to Florentine life.
Translating to “old bridge” in Italian, the Ponte Vecchio is a 680-year-old architectural staple of Florence that has seen the city through the Italian Renaissance, World War II and many devastating floods. Today, it functions as a high-end jewelry market, a popular spot for lovers, and a nighttime venue for street musicians. More than that, however, the bridge is an essential part of the city’s heart. As the muddy water of the Arno flows underneath it, the lifeblood of the city flows through it, carrying pedestrians from the historic center of Florence to the lively Oltrarno district.
Origins of the Ponte Vecchio
Designed by Taddeo Gaddi, the Ponte Vecchio as we know it today was constructed around 1345. However, at least two prior iterations of the bridge existed in the exact location, with the first recorded version dating back to the 990s. While not much is known about this first bridge, it’s believed to have been destroyed by a great flood in 1117. Another bridge was eventually built in its place, but in 1333, it too was destroyed in a flood.
After the first two bridges, primarily wood structures, failed to withstand the floods, Gaddi built the Ponte Vecchio almost entirely out of stone, with three shallow arches for extra support. This time, when the floods of 1557, 1666, 1844, and 1966 came along, the bridge held strong.
Architecture
Classified as a “segmental arch bridge,” the Ponte Vecchio sits atop three main arches. The middle arch is the biggest of them all and stretches 30 meters long, whereas the two flanking arches are each 27 meters long. The arches are supported by stone piers that jut up from the riverbed providing stability.
However, the shops built on top of either side make the bridge truly unique, creating an eye-catching architectural composition.
Painted in varying shades of yellow, orange, and tan, the shops were primarily operated by butchers and leather workers for many years. However, in 1595, Grand Duke Ferdinando Medici kicked them off the bridge, claiming their shops were too smelly and unappealing. He then declared that only goldsmiths and jewelers would be allowed to operate out of the bridge’s shops, transforming the bridge into a marketplace of gold. The city still enforces his decree, and all the current shops along the bridge exclusively sell jewelry.
The Vasari Corridor
In 1564, Cosimo I Medici commissioned architect Giorgio Vasari to build a new addition to the Ponte Vecchio – a secret passageway for the Medici family.
At the time, the Medici wanted a direct and discreet route between Palazzo Vecchio, their administrative center, and Palazzo Pitti, their residence on the opposite side of the river. By building this corridor, they could effectively move through the city without being seen by the public.
However, the construction of the Vasari Corridor posed a significant engineering challenge due to the need to preserve the existing buildings on the Ponte Vecchio. Ultimately, Vasari was able to somewhat integrate the passageway into the existing design, but three of the bridge’s four towers were destroyed to make room for the corridor.
After only five months, the Medici family had their wish, and the one-kilometer-long elevated passageway was complete. The Medici family used it until their line died out in 1737, eventually becoming the property of the Florentine state.
Throughout the next few centuries, the corridor became a sort of extension to the Uffizi Gallery and housed many of the gallery’s self-portraits. Unfortunately, the corridor closed for restoration in 2016, citing safety concerns. It was originally planned to reopen in 2021 but remains closed today, likely delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors.
World War II
One piece of Ponte Vecchio lore, favorited by tour guides and travel bloggers alike, is the story of how the bridge survived the WWII Florence bridge bombings.
Toward the end of WWII, after being forced to retreat from Florence, a group of Nazi soldiers planted bombs along all of the city’s bridges in an attempt to slow down the Allie’s recapturing of the city. While the bomb blasts reduced every other bridge in Florence to a pile of rubble, the Ponte Vecchio emerged unscathed. Instead, the buildings on either side of the bridge were destroyed by bombs, but the actual bridge was spared.
As one version of the story goes, Hitler had a soft spot for the bridge and decided to spare it due to its rich history and architectural beauty. Other versions credit a Nazi official named Gerhard Wolf, who supposedly convinced Hitler to spare the bridge. Yet another version claims that the bridge was left intact simply because it would not have held up against the weight of American tanks, making it pointless to destroy.
Regardless of the true reason behind the Ponte Vecchio’s survival, the story, and all of its variations, further cements the bridge’s status as a symbol of resilience and pride for the Italian people.
Today's Shops and Tourists
Today, the Ponte Vecchio boasts over 40 jewelry shops, all packed tightly together, that sell everything from rings to necklaces to Rolex watches.
For Gianni Ottaviani, a jeweler who works for Del Ponte & Co., working in person at the Ponte Vecchio this past year has made him and his pocketbook much happier.
"This shop we have here opened just six months before COVID happened," said Ottaviani. As a result, he and his coworkers spent the following two years selling jewelry over the phone.
"Now we are much happier because, after starting back in 2022, we work like four or five times better than over the phone."
In addition to the increase in sales, Ottaviani is happy to be working on the Ponte Vecchio because he gets to be surrounded by its history every day.
"There are few bridges in the world with stories like this, and, of course, it's also tip to toe full of gold," said Ottaviani.
According to Ottaviani, this time of year sees the highest increase in sales because it's when all the Americans flock to Florence in droves. Two of those Americans are recent college graduates, Emily Anderson and Blaire Crump.
"We're excited to go look at some of the jewelry," said Crump.
The Texas natives stopped in Florence as part of their graduation trip, which also included trips to Paris and Rome.
"There's really no comparison to anything like this back home," said Anderson. "Texas barely even has bridges, let alone anything like this."
With a history as captivating as the golden treasures it holds, the Ponte Vecchio inspires both locals and visitors with its tales of resilience. A survivor of floods, bombs, pandemics, and more, this architectural gem has stood strong over the ages, and it continues to represent the resilience and strength of the Italian people.
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