The Ponte Vecchio was built in 1345, designed by Taddeo Gaddi who was a pupil of Giotto. It is located at the narrowest point of the Arno where it is supported by three arches. It replaced a Roman bridge, destroyed in 1333 by a flood. At the same time quays were built to channel the river.
Nowadays the street which crosses the bridge is one of the main tourist places of Florence, and also a center of Italian jewelry and goldsmiths with its luxurious shops.

In the past, the stalls of the bridge were occupied by butchers, tanners and blacksmiths until the end of the 16th century when the jewelers took their place.

In the 16th century, a corridor (the Vasari corridor) was built above the shops. It served the Medici so that they could borrow the bridge without mingling with the crowd.

Ponte vecchio and Arno in the 18th – de Moricci

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