"Ponte Vecchio" - the oldest bridge in Florence, located in the lower reaches of the Arno River.

"Ponte Vecchio" - the oldest bridge in Florence, located in the lower reaches of the Arno River. It stands on the site of at least three previous bridges: one in Roman times, one that collapsed in 1117, and one that was destroyed by the Arno flood in 1333.

The bridge was built by Neri di Fioravante (1345). It has a solid construction with three arches. It is characterized by small houses lined up on both sides of the bridge. In the 14th century, these buildings had a compact architecture, but over time there have been changes that have led to the picturesque appearance of today.

In the middle of the bridge across the river, the street separating these buildings narrows, revealing a view of the Arno River and other bridges.

The Vasari Corridor crosses the bridge above the buildings. This allowed Cosimo I to reach Palazzo Pitti safely from Palazzo Vecchio.
Starting from the 16th century, the shops on the bridge became workshops for jewelers. Previously, some of these shops were butcher shops.