The Ponte Vecchio, in English means "Old Bridge". It is the oldest bridge in Florence, crossing the Arno river. It is a beautiful covered bridge that sticks out among the crowd of other bridges along the Arno. It has a lot history in Florence, as it was originally built from wood and then later rebuilt from stone in 1345. The view from the center of the bridge, I thought was incredible. You can see way down the coast of the Arno on either side, and if you look to either end you see the busy streets of Florence, and off in the distance you can see the beautiful Tuscan hills.
One thing to notice on the Ponte Vecchio is the abundance of fine jewelers. You will only find gold and silver shops along the bridge now because the Medici family sought to connect the Palazzo Vecchio with the Palazzo Pitti. In 1565 Cosimo de'Medici commissioned Giorgio Vasari to build the Vasari Corridor on top of the bridge. To enforce the prestige of the bridge Cosimo prohibited butchers from selling there in 1593. The gold merchants immediately took up the space and have monopolized it to this day.
One thing to notice on the Ponte Vecchio is the abundance of fine jewelers. You will only find gold and silver shops along the bridge now because the Medici family sought to connect the Palazzo Vecchio with the Palazzo Pitti. In 1565 Cosimo de'Medici commissioned Giorgio Vasari to build the Vasari Corridor on top of the bridge. To enforce the prestige of the bridge Cosimo prohibited butchers from selling there in 1593. The gold merchants immediately took up the space and have monopolized it to this day.
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