Title

Ponte Vecchio, Florence, Italy

Caption

Ponte Vecchio, Florence, Italy. The Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge) over the River Arno was built in the 14th century, predominantly by Taddeo Gaddi. The oldest segmental arch bridge in Europe, the bridge has a series of overhanging shops built upon it. Up to the late 16th century these were occupied by butchers until, unable to tolerate the smell, Cosimo I de Medici had them moved on. Since then the shops have been occupied by gold and silversmiths. In 1944 the Ponte Vecchio escaped destruction when the retreating Germans, under orders to destroy all the bridges over the Arno, blocked access to it by blowing up buildings at either end of the bridge instead.

Date

1966

Credit line

Photo12/Heritage Images/Peter Thompson

Reference

HRM19D57_231

Model release

No

License type

Rights managed

Available size

50,0Mb (2,3Mb) / 15,9in x 12,2in / 4765 x 3667 (300dpi)

Keywords

river water Italy Italian building buildings architecture archway arch Tuscany shopping shop shops country bridge geography color colour medieval Florence location century Arno Ponte Vecchio river arno civil engineering riverbank Florentine Architectural Feature mediaeval Middle Ages 14th century Fourteenth Century PETER THOMPSON geographical feature TGN photograph Peter Thompson Thompson Peter PTM Taddeo Gaddi Gaddi Taddeo Taddeo Gaddi photograph