Ponte Vecchio is the bridge with the most unique architecture in the world. Looking at the whole view, visitors will be amazed because this place is like a miniature city on the river that no one thinks it is a bridge. Because Ponte Vecchio has no bridge railings or means of transportation.
Ponte Vecchio was built of stone and wood during the Roman period. However, after two floods in 1117 and 1333, the bridge was largely destroyed. After a while, Ponte Vecchio was rebuilt, reshaped as before and still exists today. The bridge was created to serve many purposes such as: trade, commerce, pedestrian traffic.
Panoramic view of Ponte Vecchio bridge, Florence, Italy
From a distance, you will see only two rows of old houses on either side of the bridge, suspended over the Arno River. There are no vehicles on the Ponte Vecchio and it is very quiet. The bridge looks like a closed horizontal rectangle.
It was the first bridge to cross the Arno River at its narrowest point and the only bridge in the Tuscan Renaissance city to survive the German bombing of 1944 during World War II, the only one still standing today. The Ponte Vecchio is even more special because it is known to the world as a living witness to history. While other bridges across the Arno River were destroyed, the Ponte Vecchio has great historical value for Italy.
In the 1400s, the bridge was filled with merchants who sold meat, fish, and vegetables to the local people. They were allowed to build small shops on the bridge to facilitate their trade and avoid disturbing the residential areas. After that, Ponte Vecchio quickly became a bustling commercial center in Italy.
Ponte Vecchio bridge has great historical value for Italy
Ponte Vecchio's greatest architectural achievement is the Vasari Corridor. In 1565, Duke Cosimo I de Medici commissioned the architect Giorgio Vasari to build a road over the bridge to serve as a passageway from the Pitti Palace to the Uffizi.
At the center of the Ponte Vecchio, a series of large windows overlooking the Arno River were built over a period of five months to allow the Medici family to move freely between their residence and the palace.
So the food shops on the Ponte Vecchio were moved away to avoid the stench affecting the Duke's family. Later, goldsmiths and silversmiths took their place and began trading in jewelry.
In addition to the history of Italy's struggles, the Ponte Vecchio bridge is also a witness to the love of couples.
To this day, jewelry remains a major trade on the Ponte Vecchio. Visitors can buy rings, bracelets, necklaces and many other precious pieces in the shops here.
The Arno River has 6 other bridges for pedestrians and vehicles to cross, except Ponte Vecchio, which does not allow vehicles to pass through. The reason is that this ancient bridge is always crowded with people shopping in the shops. Stepping on the bridge, you will feel like you are stepping into a bustling miniature center, full of commercial items.
In addition to the history of Italy's struggle, the Ponte Vecchio bridge is also a witness to the love of couples. From many countries around the world, as a custom, if couples travel here, they will buy a lock, write their names on it, then hook it to the bridge and throw the key into the river. This custom comes from the story of the lock shops at both ends of the bridge. According to that story, if you write your name and the name of your lover on the lock, hook it anywhere on the bridge and throw the key into the river, then that couple will be able to live happily together forever.
Today, the Arno River has six other bridges for pedestrians and vehicles to cross, except Ponte Vecchio, which does not allow vehicles to pass.
However, this custom has also caused considerable damage to the Ponte Vecchio’s architecture. Tourists, especially couples, have flocked to the bridge and left padlocks all over it. The city government has removed hundreds of thousands of locks on several occasions.
A sign has even been placed at the top of the bridge warning that if anyone is caught with a padlock on the bridge, they will be fined 50 euros (about 1.4 million VND). That still doesn't seem to stop the sight of padlocks wrapped around the Ponte Vecchio.
Ponte Vecchio is a special bridge not only in terms of architecture but also has great historical and cultural significance. Many centuries have passed, Ponte Vecchio is still there as a historical witness as well as a commemorative landmark of many love stories around the world.
