Goldsmiths' Bridge in Florence. The Ponte Vecchio in Florence is the most photogenic bridge. Vasari's secret corridor inside the bridge
During World War II, when German troops left Florence, it was decided to blow up all the city's bridges in order to delay the enemy's rapid advance. Five of the six bridges were actually blown up, but the sixth, the Ponte Vecchio bridge in Florence, was miraculously saved.
History and description of the famous bridge of Florence
The bridge has connected the banks of the Arno River since time immemorial, which is why its current name translates as "Old Bridge". Probably, the bridge here was built back in Etruscan times, and with the arrival of the Romans it was already rebuilt in a new wooden appearance. Since that time, the bridge has always stood in this place, and after its destruction it has been diligently rebuilt.
The Arno River is distinguished by its turbulent behavior. Throughout history, her hostile attitude has completely destroyed the bridge many times. One of the first documented evidence of such an event dates back to the distant year 972. Then there is a series of restorations and destructions, until in 1332 a building was built on this site. stone bridge.
By this time, the city was acquiring several more bridges across the Arno. But the severe flood of 1333 once again amended the city plan. Water level at central square Florence at this time exceeded a meter, the city walls were damaged, and more than 300 people died. Mars was considered the patron saint of the city, whose statue was installed at the entrance of the Ponte Vecchio, but the flood did not spare her either. Later, a statue of St. John the Baptist was installed in its place, and since then the elements have no longer damaged the strength of the bridge.
After the flood, Ner di Fioravante and Taddeo Gaddi took on the task of solving the problem of the bridge's stability. In 1335-1345, they carried out work on the construction and strengthening of a new bridge, which should no longer be destroyed under the pressure of clearing water. Since that time, the bridge has stood to this day, becoming business card Florence.
The use of segmental arches made it the first bridge of its type in all of Europe. The covered bridge consists of three arches rising 4.4 meters. The central span reaches 30 meters, the side spans are slightly smaller - 27 meters each. It is noteworthy that the bridge is made wide - as much as 32 meters.
From the Middle Ages to the present day, merchants' shops have been located on the bridge. Initially there were butchers and tanners here, but the wise council decided to remove them from the symbol of Florence, replacing them with “noble” jewelers and other precious metal craftsmen. The statue of Benvenuto Cellini, the patron saint of Italian jewelers, is a reminder of this.
Benvenuto Cellini
In 1565, the bridge was supplemented with a covered gallery connecting the Palazzo Vecchio with the Palazzo Pitti. The architect of the building was Vasari, which is why it is called the “Vasarino corridor”. The gallery located above the merchants' shops offers excellent views of the Arno River and Florence.
Vasarino corridor
The next major flood occurred in 1966. All the shops were washed away, but the Ponte Vecchio bridge stood. A truly eternal bridge that is famously popular with tourists visiting nice city Florence.
The Ponte Vecchio bridge is one of the oldest bridges, which is known far beyond Italy. Its name is translated from Italian language How " old bridge" On par with Cathedral and the Uffizi Gallery, it is the hallmark of Florence. On numerous postcards and souvenirs it is easy to recognize the unusual appearance of the bridge in the rays of bright sun or night illumination. It spans the Arno River and connects the two parts of the busy city at its narrowest point. Thousands of tourists go to the bridge every day to capture it in photos and feel the spirit of antiquity.
Ponte Vecchio in history
The Ponte Vecchio bridge acquired its current appearance in 1345. The construction of such a reliable and beautiful bridge was supervised by the architect Neri Fiorovanti. Before this, the structure was destroyed and rebuilt several times.
The first crossing was built during the Roman Empire, when veterans of a large army settled in the city. The bridge was supported by wooden piles, but they were not strong enough to withstand the powerful current. The collapse occurred in 1117. Instead of a wooden one, a stone bridge was quickly built. It served for several centuries, but by 1333 the city was overtaken by a severe flood. The bridge's fortifications weakened and most of its sections collapsed. Only a few central crossbars remain.
After the final reconstruction, the Ponte Vecchio bridge acquired graceful contours with arched vaults. This helped give the structure maximum stability. The entire length of the bridge is divided into three arches. The length of the central one is 30 m, and the side ones reach only 27 m.
A century after its construction, in the 15th century, the first trading shops appeared on the bridge. Meat sellers who were expelled from the streets of Florence settled here. Due to the unpleasant smell, many townspeople were dissatisfied with the proximity to butchers. There were more such sellers than expected. All of them did not fit on the bridge, so extensions of several floors or houses hanging over the water began to appear.
By the beginning of the 17th century. butchers were replaced by jewelry dealers. Since then, the bridge has been given a second name – Golden Bridge. During the same period, a spacious terrace was installed in the central part so that those who wish could admire the views of the river and the surrounding area.
The bridge has always been a place of busy trade and crowds, which was not always convenient. For example, the Duke of Florence could not freely travel from his residence in the Pitti Palace to the place of receiving his subjects in the Palazzo Vecchio. To solve this problem, the architect Giorgio Vasari was commissioned to design a road in the form of a corridor over all the bridge extensions. The total length of the corridor was more than a kilometer. It was a covered corridor with small dormer windows to control the situation outside.
Recent history
A year before the outbreak of World War II, a tour of the Ponte Vecchio was given to Adolf Hitler himself. Numerous arches, retail shops and a picturesque panorama made an indelible impression on him. When the German offensive began in Italy, all bridges except the Ponte Vecchio were destroyed. There is an opinion that it was Hitler who ordered the preservation of the structure that had previously captivated him.
Although the crossing lasted much longer than all its predecessors, a severe flood in 1966 caused great damage to it. Due to heavy rainfall, the water level in the river rose to the very base of the bridge. The waves broke glass and destroyed the interior of the shops. Most of the retail locations were completely destroyed, but the functional parts of the structure remained undamaged.
Architectural features
The western edge of the bridge is decorated with a bust of Benvenuto Cellini (a famous jeweler); it appeared here at the very beginning of the 20th century. Later, a forged fence appeared around, on which lovers often attach decorative locks. Even in European countries This tradition is quite young, but very popular. In just a few months, locks of various shapes and sizes appear in unimaginable quantities. City authorities regularly remove them. To reduce the number of precedents, a fine was introduced. For each lock you will have to pay 50 euros.
Today, like several centuries ago, the most expensive jewelry stores are located on Ponte Vecchio, which delight you with a very large assortment. Many tourists visit shops to admire unusual products, but only a few decide to buy jewelry at inflated prices.
Unfortunately, travelers will not be able to visit the Vasari Corridor. Its doors are closed to visitors. They say that it contains many self-portraits of a certain R. Zanieri.
At night, the bridge is illuminated brightly, so tourists should take a walk around the area in the evening or at night.
How to get there
Florence – large city, in which several railway stations. This allows you to compose convenient route from any corner of the planet. Nearest international airports located in Milan and Rome. They also arrive here tourist buses from neighboring cities. At train stations and tourist centers You can buy a city map to quickly navigate and find all the attractions of interest.
The Old Bridge (Ponte Vecchio) in Florence over the Arno River in 1345 on the site of an ancient Roman bridge demolished by a flood. Initially, butchers' shops were located here, animal carcasses were butchered on site, and waste was thrown into the river. In general, the smell around was very powerful, especially in the summer heat.
Soon the Old Bridge became a place of lively city trade. The merchants' shops were located right on the bridge. Presumably, the concept of “bankruptcy” appeared here. If a merchant could not pay his debts, the city guards would destroy his shop. So from the two words “counter” (banco) and “broken” (rotto) the word “bankrupt” was derived.
According to legend, Mussolini made the windows in the center of the bridge for Hitler so that the Fuhrer could admire the view of Florence. According to one version, Hitler wanted to blow up the bridge during his retreat, but the partisans prevented him.
This is the first bridge in history in the construction of which such arches were used. The bridge consists of three arches, the length of the central arch is 30 meters, height – 4.4 meters, the side arches are smaller: length – 27 meters, height – 3.5 meters.
This time we were lucky with the weather.
Old Bridge at the beginning of the 20th century
In the 16th century, the ruler of Florence, Duke Cosimo I de' Medici, paid attention to the area of the Old Bridge; at the will of the Duke, rich jewelry shops were located here. The Old Bridge received the second name “Golden Bridge”, the status of which changed dramatically.
“There is a bridge in Florence called the Old Bridge. It is still built up with houses; these houses housed workshops for gold and silver products.
True, these were not products in the modern sense: the manufacture of gold and silver things in our days is a craft; before it was art. That is why there was nothing in the world more wonderful than these workshops, or rather, the objects that decorated them; there were round onyx goblets, girded with writhing dragons - fairy-tale monsters raised their heads, extended azure wings strewn with golden stars, and, opening their fire-breathing mouths, looked menacingly at each other with their ruby eyes...
And all this was not only skillfully executed, but conceived with poetic inspiration; not only charming, like charming trinkets for decorating a lady's boudoir, but magnificent, like the greatest works of art that can immortalize the reign of a king or the spirit of a nation..." - this is how Alexandre Dumas described the Old Bridge in the novel "Ascanio".
Duke Cosimo I de' Medici, who made the Old Bridge Golden.
Eleonora of Toledo, wife of Cosimo de' Medici. (Grandmother of the French Queen Marie de' Medici)
In honor of the marriage of his son Francesco and Princess Joan of Austria, the ruler ordered the construction of a corridor connecting the two city squares of Palazzo Vecchio and Palazzo Pitti, which passed over the bridge buildings.
The Medici family was not noble, descended from a family of bankers, and Cosimo wanted to impress his new royal relatives.
Heir - Francesco de' Medici
His bride, Princess Joan of Austria, for whom a secret corridor was built.
Judging by the portrait, the princess was capricious.
Cosimo Medizi ordered dormer windows to be made in the gallery above the bridge in order to eavesdrop on what commoners were saying about him.
The secret passage was called the Vasari Corridor in honor of the architect who embodied the Medici idea.
Street art on the theme of the Middle Ages
Now in the Vasari Corridor there is an art gallery, which also houses works by Russian artists Kustodiev and Kiprensky.
The road from the bridge to the central square.
Mannelli Tower
The Vasari corridor passed through the city's buildings. The noble Munnelly family were the only ones who resisted the passage of the Corridor through their property, as it happened for other buildings. The Munnellys insisted that the Corridor be built around the tower.
Legend has it that the Munnelly family paid a tax to the Medici for several years for their intervention in the project.
"At noon, cats look under the benches to see if they are black.
shadows. On the Old Bridge - now it has been repaired -
where he bustles against the blue hills of Cellini,
they are briskly selling all kinds of branzulette;
the waves move over the branch, murmuring behind the branch.
And the golden strands of the rare one bending over
thing of a beauty rummaging between boxes
under the unsatisfied glances of young traders,
seem to be the trace of an angel in the realm of the blackheads."
As the poet Joseph Brodsky wrote.
In 1901, a monument to Benvenuto Cellini, the famous sculptor and jeweler of the 16th century, was erected on the bridge. Anyone familiar with the work of A. Dumas has probably read the novel “Ascanio” about the adventures of this talented man.
Monument to jeweler Benvenuto Cellini on the Old Bridge. Nearby there is a building on the roof of which (above right) you can see a medieval sundial installed in the 14th century.
View from the Old Bridge of the Arno River.
What is famous about the Vecchio Bridge in Florence: a little history and modernity. How Ponte Vecchio managed to survive devastating floods and why from afar it resembles. Where is the old bridge of Florence, how to get to it yourself from the city center and what to see.
Ponte Vecchio is the oldest and most recognizable bridge in Florence. Not a single tourist bypasses it. During its existence, it was rebuilt several times due to constant floods. Translated from Italian its name Ponte Vecchio means "Old Bridge". Today, guests of the city can see it in its original appearance, since practically nothing has changed here over many centuries.
Excursions in Florence and surrounding areas
The 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, even an exit route, even medieval Florence.
From the history of the Vecchio Bridge
The decision to build Ponte Vecchio bridge at this point on the Arno River was no coincidence. Once upon a time, a bridge with wooden superstructures stood in its place from the ancient Roman era. However, as a result of a flood, it was destroyed and then rebuilt from stone. But this did not help cope with the flow of water. The structure was again demolished by a natural disaster in 1333. According to historians, the work of restoring it was entrusted to Neri di Fioravanti. Construction was completed in 1345. After this, the bridge remained for many centuries a place where lively trade was carried out.
Interestingly, Ponte Vecchio was not destroyed during World War II. The rest of the historical buildings in the city were much less fortunate, many of them were severely damaged.
From the mid-15th century, butchers' shops from all over Florence were moved here. Their number turned out to be much greater than expected, then it was decided to make several additional extensions.
Over time, the straight line of buildings on both sides of the bridge has changed greatly due to various transformations. In 1556, by order of Duke Cosimo I de' Medici, the so-called Vasari Corridor, passing over the Ponte Vecchio itself. This corridor was named in honor of the architect who worked on its creation. Along 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 survive another flood in 1966. A natural disaster struck the city, resulting in many buildings being damaged. Of course, everything has been restored and restored for decades, but the city authorities had to bear enormous costs.
Sights of 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, born in Florence. A popular tradition among city residents and tourists is to hang so-called “love locks” on the fences around the statue.
* This “cute” habit is practiced by uncontrollable lovers all over the world - in particular, forged grilles suffer from it, the fences of the lovers' bridge in Paris recently collapsed, and local residents often oppose marginalized “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 still shops, shops and workshops. You can mainly buy gold items, jewelry and themed souvenirs from Florence (postcards, magnets, ceramic plates, key rings, guidebooks).
Unfortunately, it is currently not possible to get to the part of the Codidor Vasari, which is located directly above the bridge, since it is closed to outsiders. The main reason is the unsatisfactory condition 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 over 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!
Where is it and how to get there
The old bridge of Florence is located between Via Calimala on one side of the river and Via d'Guicciardini- to the other. Closest to the Vecchio Bridge bus stop that’s what it’s called “Ponte Vecchio”. To get there you need to take route C3 or D.
But the easiest way is to walk, Ponte Vecchio is just a few steps away Piazzale degli Uffizi, i.e. from the central one, which rarely gets overlooked in Florence.
Ponte Vecchio on the map of Florence
The Vecchio Bridge (Florence) is located at: Ponte Vecchio, 50125 Firenze FI
Ponte Vecchio is the oldest bridge in Florence, Italy, a three-arch bridge that was built on the site of two previous bridges: a Roman era bridge, a bridge that collapsed in 1117, and a bridge that was demolished by a flood in 1333. Now Ponte Vecchio is a symbol of the city and perhaps this is its most striking place.
The Ponte Vecchio bridge was built in 1345 by the architect Neri di Fioravante, who designed and created a fairly strong structure, it was supposed to be much stronger than that of its predecessor, which failed in a flood in 1333. Although the structure of the current bridge is quite strong, in 1966 the Vecchio Bridge was severely 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. In the center of the bridge spans, the row of buildings is interrupted and opens into an open area from which you can admire the river and other bridges in the city. In 1565, by order of Cosimo I de' Medici, the "Vasari Corridor" was built: the Uffizi Gallery and the Vasari Corridor - a covered passage running over the Ponte Vecchio bridge and connecting the Uffizi with the Pitti Palazzo, which was used exclusively by representatives of the court.
Along the corridor there are strange small round windows with bars; according to legend, they were created by order of the ruler in order to eavesdrop on what people were talking about below on the bridge. At that time, in the lower part of the bridge there were butchers' shops, but over time, unpleasant odors of spoiling products began to emanate from the market and in 1593 he categorically banned trade in perishable products here, and in their place, jewelry stores and workshops appeared on the Ponte Vecchio. In this regard, it also began to be 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 was given a special order to leave the bridge intact and unharmed. Access to it was, however, hampered by destroyed buildings on both sides of the river. Later, all the buildings were rebuilt, some of them according to original designs, and some according to new ones.
Interesting fact, the word “bankrupt” comes 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 got into debt, for this he was beaten by soldiers and his trading post (banco) was once smashed (rotto) and he could not do more trading. After this, the process of debt disputes of those times fit into the familiar word “bancorotto” or “broken table”: no table - no trade.
