Thread: The bridges of Florence

In addition to being roads that connect the various parts of the city, the bridges of Florence are real works of art in the open air. All of them have a long and complicated history made up of damage due to the flooding of the Arno and all of them, with the exception of the symbol of the city, the Ponte Vecchio, were destroyed by the Germans when they retreated from the advancing Allied army in 1944. Here is their history.

Ponte Vecchio: It is the most famous bridge of Florence, the symbol of the city. Renown for the goldsmiths' shops that give it an even more romantic appearance, it was built in 1345 by Taddeo Gaddi and Neri di Fioravanti to substitute the ancient Roman bridge that had been destroyed many times by the flooding of the Arno. Its place in history was made even more secure when it was the only bridge that the Germans spared in their 1944 retreat. It is made of three arches and hosts a bust of Benvenuto Cellini by Raffaello Romanelli, and is crossed by Vasari's corridor.

Ponte alle Grazie: This bridge was built in 1957 according to a plan by Giovanni Michelucci and other important architects to replace the old Ponte di Rubaconte from 1237, last rebuilt in 1876.

Ponte di San Niccolò: This bridge has a very interesting story. It was built in 1890 to replace the bridge named after San Ferdinando, which was from 1835. In 1939, after falling down several times, it was rebuilt in iron; the bridge we see today was built on a plan by Riccardo Morandi and completed in 1949.

Ponte da Verrazzano: This bridge was built in 1965 by C. Damerini, L. Savioli and V. Scalesse and is the newest bridge across the Arno; it connects the southern part of the city.

Ponte di Santa Trinita: In its long and complex history, this bridge has seen many collapses due to flooding of the Arno. The wood original was built in 1252. It was later replaced by one in stone, which collapsed in 1333. It was then rebuilt by Taddeo Gaddi, but this bridge too collapsed in 1557. Cosimo I ordered Ammannati to plan a new bridge; at the four corners are statues of the seasons put into place in 1628. It was destroyed by the Germans in 1944 and reconstructed in 1952 by R. Gizdulich.

Ponte alla Carraia: The 1218 original was destroyed by a flood in 1274 and was rebuilt, but it collapsed again in 1304 (according to legend, due to the weight of a crowd that was watching a spectacle). Its replacement was also destroyed in 1333 and again in 1557. Mommissioned by Cosimo I, a new bridge was built by Ammannati which lasted until the German retreat. Today's bridge is from 1948 on a design by E. Fagiuoli.

Ponte alla Vittoria: The original was called Ponte San Leopoldo and was ordered by Grandduke Leopold. Ruined in 1925, it was replaced by another which was destroyed by the Germans in 1944. Today's Ponte alla Vittoria is from 1946.

I have never been to italy but I would sure like to someday

ponte vecchio is an awesome place to visit, for sure one of the most famous attractions in Florence together with Piazza della Signoria, the Dome and Piazzale Michelangelo

i have been on the ponte vecchio- they have lots of places to buy jewelry.

i would be careful though- some places sell knock-offs.

Hi,
We've been a few times to Florence and just loved it. We thought the bridges were nice, but seeing them from a distance, not walking on them. We didn't like all the juwelery stores there and the loads of tourists that kept the bridges occupied. Great information about the bridges though. Maybe next time we will look at them differently :-)

if only I have the money..

for now, I can't afford to visit Italy..

Italy is such a lovely place. There are so many wonderful places to go to and you will be never tired of coming back over and over again.

We've been a few times to Florence and just loved it. We thought the bridges were nice, but seeing them from a distance, not walking on them. We didn't like all the juwelery stores there and the loads of tourists that kept the bridges occupied. Great information about the bridges though. Maybe next time we will look at them differently :-)

Heheh incredible.
I'm tuscany and I know only Pontevecchio!! LOL
A kiss from the Tuscan Sun!.

Thanks for sharing this outstanding information with us really impressive. Well, Florence is one of the beautiful and popular cities. You can find some of the best museums over there (Bardini Museum, Botanical Museum and Casa Guidi Museum) and also stunning cathedrals and churches, attractive streets and squares with elegant buildings and shops.
I’d definitely recommend travelers to take a tour towards this place.