Ponte Vecchio ( Old Bridge)
By Gary Marsh
@garymarsh6 (23393)
United Kingdom
May 18, 2017 2:36pm CST
One remarkable sight to see in Florence is the Ponte Vecchio. This bridge has been in situ since around 990 the first mention of it being in 996. Since then the bridge had been washed away in floods three times. Primarily made from wood it is hardly surprising. Part of the base dates from the original Roman times.
Aesthetically quite a pretty bridge it has shops along each side of the bridge. Today these shops are mainly gold merchants. Originally butchers had their shops on the bridge until the 1400's when the Medici's banned them. They were replaced by Gold sellers and have remained selling gold in the tiny shops that span either side of the bridge.
This is a very popular tourist site and gets very crowded indeed. It is one of the must see attractions in Florence and well worth a visit.
14 people like this
14 responses
@TiarasOceanView (70035)
• United States
18 May 17
I seem to recall something in a film I saw regarding this bridge.
Some perfume shop owner and his apprentice as I recall.
Wood? Well it is going to wash away again then lol
5 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
18 May 17
No not wood now it is made of stone thankfully and a very beautiful stone bridge it is too!
5 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
18 May 17
@TiarasOceanView I came to your page but you have no discussions??? 
3 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
18 May 17
The Romans were very talented builders!
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
18 May 17
Florence is a beautiful city and well worth a visit although it is very tiring on the poor feet!
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (458212)
• Switzerland
20 May 17
@garymarsh6 Completely different in style, the Ponte di Rialto was built 400 years later than Ponte Vecchio.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
20 May 17
@LadyDuck Yes but still a magnificent architectural feat. Bridges such as these are not common to the rest of the world these days!
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@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
20 May 17
It is a beautiful bridge Anna. I also like the Rialto Bridge in Venice although somewhat different in style but still amazing.
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@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
18 May 17
The shops are very unusual. I have never seen that kind of building on a bridge.
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
18 May 17
check out the medieval old London Bridge it was much bigger with more houses on it. Sadly it was destroyed another one was built which lasted only 140 years before it was dismantled stone by stone and numbered and transported to Arizona to Lake Havasu. Each stone was put back together after the stones had all been cleaned and it sits on Lake Havasu. I walked across it when I was there! Amazing! Rumour has it that the guy who bought it thought he was buying Tower Bridge. That is up for some debate though!
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@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
18 May 17
@garymarsh6 I have been to London Bridge at Lake Havasu.
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@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
18 May 17
The old London Bridge was even more beautiful than this. It had houses on it across the Thames some of which were 7 stories high! Alas it is no more.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
20 Jun 17
I have never been to Florence but I have heard wonderful things about the art there.
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@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
20 Jun 17
It is a beautiful city and quite compact but.... but ,,, there are millions of tourists! LOL
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@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
20 May 17
Haha no. I am reluctant to buy gold abroad.
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@bluesa (15023)
• Johannesburg, South Africa
23 May 17
It seems anywhere there is gold there is a pull @garymarsh6. It's a very pretty scene, Gary. :)
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
20 May 17
Wow that must have been brilliant back then and certainly not heaving with so many tourists.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (29128)
• United Kingdom
20 May 17
@garymarsh6 I have her photo albums here; one day I will time to look at them! (Maybe post a photo on here)
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
20 May 17
Yes wood was used in its pilings but it is made with brick now.
1 person likes this
@cacay1 (83223)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
23 May 17
@garymarsh6 aw, okay nice replaced with bricks.
@CRK109 (14558)
• United States
21 May 17
I can't stop smiling! I loved walking the Ponte Vecchio! I even bought a couple of things from a shop owner there. We had to be buzzed in, which is something I've never had to do before! So lovely both on the bridge and from everywhere else looking at it! I really fell in love with Florence for so many reasons!
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
22 May 17
How nice I am glad it brought a nice smile to you bringing back happy memories of your trip there. It certainly is beautiful.
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@CRK109 (14558)
• United States
23 May 17
@garymarsh6 I remember when we first got to Florence and got out of the bus. We had this gorgeous view of the whole city and the bridges. I had no idea how much I would fall in love with all of it!
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
20 May 17
It is one of the landmarks of Florence.
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