Bridge in Florence with jewelry shops. Ponte Vecchio: the “golden” bridge of Florence

Ponte Vecchio (Ponte Vecchio, translated from Italian language “old bridge") is one of the symbols of the glorious city of Florence (Italy) and one of the most famous bridges in the world. Spanning across the narrowest point of the Arno River, where there was a ford in ancient times, it is a 95-meter arched stone masterpiece, built back in 1345 and still retaining its original appearance.
In the world Ponte Vecchio is better known as " Golden Bridge", which was assigned to it not at all for its ancient roots and architectural value. The fact is that meat traders used to be active there, which, according to the then ruler, Ferdinand I, not only annoyed those around with an unpleasant odor, but also had a negative impact on its prestige. Soon the Duke ordered the butchers' shops to be replaced by jewelry stores and workshops. And so, starting in 1593, jewelers' shops began to appear along the bridge, who received the exclusive right to sell their creations here. As for jewelry workshops, only one has survived to this day , owned by the Peccini family.From then until today, the Golden Bridge has concentrated the largest amount of yellow gold jewelry in all of Florence. Platinum, white gold and gems are also very popular among tourists. There are always quite a lot of potential buyers there, however, many of them remain potential, since not everyone can afford the prices for local jewelry.

The oldest bridge in Florence was built on the site of two previous bridges. The first was built in the ancient Roman era, and, according to the testimony of imperial historians, stood on stone pylons and was covered with wooden flooring. It bravely survived the fall of Rome and stood until the flood that hit it in 1117. The second, already built of stone, was again subjected to the destructive force of water overflowing the banks of the Arno in 1333.
The Old Bridge acquired its modern appearance in 1345, when the architect Neri di Fioravanti connected the banks of the river with a stone structure, which is a beautiful and at the same time durable three-arched structure. On both sides of the bridge, according to the traditions of the Middle Ages, residential buildings were built. Over the centuries of its existence, the straight line of buildings was broken as a result of some transformations.
In 1444, in order to free the streets from the stench emanating from the butchers' shops scattered throughout the city, they were ordered to move to shops located on the Ponte Vecchio bridge. Numerous shops made it, despite its modest size, truly medieval. shopping center. But after more than a hundred years, as we know, jewelers took their place.

In 1565, by order of Duke Cosimo I, the architect Giorgio Vasari built a kilometer-long corridor above the buildings located on the bridge, called the Vasari Corridor. With its help, the ruler could move from administrative center Palazzo Vecchio(Town Hall of Florence) to the private residence of the Medici, Palazzo Pitti. Another positive aspect associated with the presence of a corridor was the ability to monitor the situation in the city using small windows, while remaining completely unnoticed. IN currently it is closed to the public, and the only key to it is kept by a man named Roberto Zanieri. The lucky ones will be able to get into this mysterious place, will be able to see there the world's largest collection of self-portraits, which is located along the entire length of the walls of the Vasari corridor.

In 1938, during the reign of Mussolini, Ponte Vecchio was visited by Adolf Hitler, especially for whose arrival an observation deck with large panoramic windows was created in the central part of the Vasari Corridor, which have survived to this day. After the retreat of the fascist troops, it was the only bridge in Florence that was not destroyed by the Germans during hostilities in 1944.

Most beautiful bridge Florence has experienced many disasters over the centuries of its existence. In November 1966, a terrible flood hit the Ponte Vecchio, but it was able to withstand even when the water came to the windows and penetrated inside, breaking shop windows with crushing force and carrying them downstream.
In the center of the Old Bridge, the rows of buildings are interrupted by two terraces, from which it is very convenient to admire the view of the Arno River and neighboring bridges. The eastern platform is crowned by the Vasari Corridor, and the opposite one is famous for the bust of Benvenuto Cellini, the most famous Florentine jeweler, whose memory is deeply revered in the professional community, installed on it. Created by sculptor Rafael Romanelli, the monument was erected in memory of the services of the jeweler on May 26, 1901.
The graceful Florentine Ponte Vecchio bridge, with its charming arches and open area framed by a row of houses, can be seen in the famous film “Perfume: The Story of a Murderer” (2006).

It’s not possible to get to Florence by direct flight from Moscow, so to see the Golden Bridge and other attractions of the city, you need to look for tickets to big cities northern Italy (for example Milan or Rome), and from there you can go to Florence by bus or train. You can also get to Florence by train from Pisa, where there are direct flights from Russia.

A story about the unique Florentine bridge Ponte Vecchio. One of the few remaining fully built bridges. But it is unique for other reasons.

Ponte Vecchio is one of the main calling cards of wonderful Florence. It is located in the very bottleneck of the Arno River and connects the two parts of the legendary Italian city. This bridge is notable for several reasons.

The oldest bridge in Florence

It was built by the architect Neri di Fioravanti in 1345 and to this day the bridge has practically not changed its appearance. Even during the Second World War it survived, although all other bridges were blown up. True, the reasons given are different. Some believe that thanks to the Resistance, while others believe that it is to undermine cultural heritage Adolf Hitler himself banned it by personal decree. By the way, one of the few modernizations of the bridge is associated with the German dictator. Even before the World War, Mussolini specially made an observation deck with large rectangular windows on the inside of the Vasari Corridor for the arrival of the guest of honor. It was decided to leave these windows, and they have survived to this day.

Photo by: Carlo Broggi. The photo was taken before 1925

The Last of the Mohicans

The Ponte Vecchio gives us an idea of ​​what city crossings looked like in late Middle Ages. The fact is that there was not much free space in the city, and in the megacities of that time, bridges were often lined with houses or trading shops. For example, it was completely built up. It contained more than a hundred different kinds of buildings. By the way, if you read the novel “Perfume” or, then it was on the Pont de Change that Baldini’s shop was located, which collapsed into the Seine along with its owner. But at some point, the main bridges in Europe were cleared of buildings, but the Ponte Vecchio survived and has continued to amaze guests of Florence for hundreds of years.

Vasari's secret corridor inside the bridge

Numerous tourists walking along the bridge do not always know that right above their heads lies another path to the other side of the river. We are talking about a secret corridor. It was designed by the architect Vasari, in whose honor the secret passage received its name. Construction began in 1565 on the initiative of Duke Cosimo I, who belonged to the legendary Medici dynasty. The main purpose of the move is to connect the two banks of the river so that the Duke can move from the Vecchio Palace to the Pitti residence unnoticed. Why not just walk across the bridge, you think? There are at least three reasons for this:

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For safety

When we talk about Florence and the Medici, we are a priori talking about the struggle for power. This means that the life of a ruler may depend on the ability to move unnoticed from one building to another.

For comfort

The bridge is a busy place of trade. During Cosimo's time, butchers' shops were located there. Since few people cared about the sanitary situation, the bridge exuded the bone-chilling smells of rotten meat and waste. The presence of a separate corridor made the situation somewhat easier. By the way, butchers were permanent residents of the bridge until the 16th century, after which they were replaced by jewelry stores and the atmosphere became lighter.

For spying

Since there were always a lot of residents hanging around the butcher shops who gave free rein to their tongues, the Duke of Tuscany took advantage of this for banal eavesdropping. According to rumors, the most careless talkers could be imprisoned the very next day.

Home of bankruptcy

There is an interesting story connected with the bridge. There is a legend that this is where the term “bankruptcy” originated. This is due to the fact that when a merchant on the Ponte Vecchio finally went bankrupt, the city guards came and broke (rotto) his counter (banco). This procedure was called “bancorotto”. After a person lost his counter, he could no longer engage in trade. In other words, he was declared bankrupt.

The famous French writer Maurice Druon talks about the spirit of this place:

This bridge is considered the oldest in all of Florence, and yet it is unlike any other bridge in Italy. Arch bridge, spanned across the narrowest point of the Arno River, to this day has retained its almost original appearance since its construction in 1345.

History of the attraction

The current Ponte Vecchio bridge in Florence today spans the Arno River and is a subject of keen interest to tourists. It represents the third river crossing built in this place in Italy.

The first viaduct was built back in the era Ancient Rome . It was made of wood and stood on stone pylons. Having long outlived its builders, the crossing was destroyed in 1117 by a severe flood. The second bridge, built taking into account previous construction errors, lasted for almost two centuries, but it also suffered the same fate as the first - the severe flood of the Arno in 1333 destroyed Ponte Vecchio almost to the ground.

During the construction of the third viaduct, the architects had to work hard to finally find a solution in which the crossing would be strong enough to withstand the onslaught of water in the event of a possible river flood. By the way, this had to be tested in practice - many centuries later, in 1966, another rise in water flooded both the Ponte Vecchio and the Vasari Gallery, causing damage to both artisans’ shops and priceless works of art...

In the meantime, in the 14th century, Florentine architects were deciding how to combine architectural elegance and structural strength. By the way, historians are still racking their brains as to who is the author Who is the actual architect of the project? The fact is that according to some documents, the architect of the building is named Taddeo Gaddi, and later sources assure that the project belongs to Neri di Fioravante.

The name of the bridge is translated from Italian as “Old Bridge”.

Ponte Vecchio received its second name - Golden - not because it is of architectural value. Starting from the 16th century, traders of one or another product settled on the bridge, having received permission from the municipality to build retail shops. And most a large number of These shops belonged to jewelers. Only one shop that began trading from those times has survived to this day - a jewelry shop owned by the Peccini family.

According to medieval traditions, Ponte Vecchio was divided into 38 sections, on which trade was carried out. The traders lived here, in these same areas. Moreover, the store area was barely enough to place goods, so the shops were expanded and built on - they literally hung over the water. Today we can see the panorama of the landmark and small houses, as if stuck to its sides. By the way, shops and shops today have almost the same appearance as they did in the 16th century.

In the 20th century, during the Second World War, the bridge fortunately escaped the fate of being destroyed. In 1938, Adolf Hitler arrived in Florence for a visit. He got acquainted with the main attractions of the city, visited, on the Ponte Vecchio bridge - an observation deck was specially built for the arrival of the Fuhrer. A few years later, during the war, during the retreat German soldiers, many buildings (including historical ones) were blown up, but Ponte Vecchio avoided a similar fate.

According to one version, Hitler involuntarily admired the resilience of the Resistance fighters who defended the bridge and the palaces that surrounded it; according to another version, he simply could not forget the amazing panorama of the Arno River from observation deck Ponte Vecchio...

Want to know more about the sights of Florence? Check out the history of the construction of the famous cathedral located on the territory of the city!

Legends of Florence associated with the building

Residents love to tell stories and legends associated with this attraction. In particular, stories about how and why jewelry shops appeared on the viaduct. There are three historical versions of this fact.

According to the first version, in 1442 a special decree was issued that all meat and fish merchants should move to one, strictly defined place in the city, so that unpleasant odors would not offend the sense of smell of noble gentlemen in the palaces.

By order of the city rulers, all fish and butcher shops were now located in the area of ​​the Ponte Vecchio crossing. This continued until in 1556, by order of the Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo de' Medici, the Vasari Corridor was built, connecting the Palazzo Pitti.

Every time, passing along the Vasari corridor, the Tuscan ruler winced and covered his nose- the smells that reached him were not the aristocratic smells of fish and meat, but also the smell of spoiled goods that were being dumped into the river. His son Ferdinando, who became ruler after his father, was not so tolerant.

During one journey from the Old Palace to Palazzo Pitti, Ferdinando became so angry because of the terrible odors that he ordered all the butchers and fishmongers to be driven away and others to be opened in their place. So jewelers' shops appeared on the bridge, which were visited by a more sophisticated audience.

The second version says that the Vasari corridor served not only as a secret passage for rulers from one palace to another. Standing in a secret corridor directly above shopping arcades, Ferdinando Medici, through special round windows in the corridor, could hear all the conversations of merchants and their customers. And these conversations were not always pleasant for the ruler’s ears. Ordinary people did not hesitate to discuss political topics and the personality of the ruler himself. Therefore, the Duke ordered to get rid of the commoners, and for double rent in 1593 goldsmiths settled here.

The third version is no less interesting, and it concerns the daughter of Ferdinando Medici. The young princess, walking along Vasari's corridor, became an involuntary listener to all the dialogues on the bridge. And since they traded and bought there simple people, who did not mince words, the vocabulary of the Medici daughter was greatly expanded - however, with words far from those that were accepted in the palaces. Hearing the merchants' vocabulary from his daughter, Ferdinando angrily drove out all the fish and meat merchants.

There is also a belief that The word “bankrupt” was born on the Ponte Vecchio bridge. If a merchant did not pay the rent on time and debts accumulated, the counter (banko) on which he traded was broken by the guards (rotto) sent by the authorities.

That is, literally the word “bankrupt” or “bankruptcy” means “a broken counter” (or a bankrupt bank). And if the counter was broken (“bankorotto”), then there was nothing to trade on.

The Arno River in the Ponte Vecchio area is also called a “golden mine”, and in the literal sense. The fact is that during the flood in 1966, the water rose several meters. Almost all the shops were flooded with water. Some of the traders who arrived here on calls from the night watchmen were able to save some of their goods. The remaining shops were flooded, and some of the gold jewelry was washed away by the receding water. Of course, work to find the missing jewelry continued in the waters of the Arno for many years, but without much results.

What is he like today

There are currently 10 crossings across the Arno, and all of them have been rebuilt and restored (especially after the raids during World War II). Everything except the Golden Bridge. The appearance of Ponte Vecchio has remained virtually unchanged since its construction in 1345. A classic three-arch viaduct, the central arch is 30 meters long, and the two side arches are 27 meters long. The height of the vaults of Ponte Vecchio is from 3.5 to 4.4 meters.

Ponte Vecchio today is a row of jewelry stores and a small observation deck. From this site there is a wonderful view panoramic view on the Arno River. Looking at muddy water calm and leisurely river, it is difficult to imagine that this river once posed a direct threat to the city. You can take photos from the observation deck. But if you walk from Piazza della Senoria along the Arno, you can take an equally gorgeous panoramic photo of the landmark itself - beautiful arches over the water.

The bridge looks especially beautiful at night - illuminated by many lights, it becomes a meeting place and a landmark for tourists.

The stores offer a wide range of gold and platinum products.

True, tourists stop more to look than to buy - the prices for these products are quite high. For an inconspicuous-looking gold ring you need to pay at least 200 euros.

On the western side of the bridge is a bust of Benvenuto Cellini, Italian musician and sculptor of the Renaissance (the author of the bust is Raffaello Romanelli). One of the famous sculptural works of the master Cellini - the statue of Perseus with the severed head of Medusa the Gorgon - is located in Piazza della Signoria. The installation and opening of the statue in 1901 was timed to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Cellini.

Cellini's bust is surrounded by a small metal fence. This site has become a place of pilgrimage for newlyweds and couples in love– as a sign of the inviolability of love and family ties, each couple hung a padlock on the fence. Rumor has it that this idea belonged to the owner of a lock shop located not far from the installed bust. Either way, his business is booming. But the authorities of Florence did not like this custom - not only did the locks spoil the aesthetic appearance of the sculpture, but this tradition threatened the bridge itself, causing damage to it.

During World War II, when German troops left Florence, it was decided to blow up all the city's bridges in order to delay the enemy's rapid advance. Five of the six bridges were actually blown up, but the sixth, the Ponte Vecchio bridge in Florence, was miraculously saved.

History and description of the famous bridge of Florence

The bridge has connected the banks of the Arno River since time immemorial, which is why its current name translates as "Old Bridge". Probably, the bridge here was built back in Etruscan times, and with the arrival of the Romans it was already rebuilt in a new wooden appearance. Since that time, the bridge has always stood in this place, and after its destruction it has been diligently rebuilt.

The Arno River is distinguished by its turbulent behavior. Throughout history, her hostile attitude has completely destroyed the bridge many times. One of the first documented evidence of such an event dates back to the distant year 972. Then there is a series of restorations and destructions, until in 1332 a building was built on this site. a stone bridge.

By this time, the city was acquiring several more bridges across the Arno. But the severe flood of 1333 once again amended the city plan. The water level in the central square of Florence at that time exceeded a meter, the city walls were damaged, and more than 300 people died. Mars was considered the patron saint of the city, whose statue was installed at the entrance of the Ponte Vecchio, but the flood did not spare her either. Later, a statue of St. John the Baptist was installed in its place, and since then the elements have no longer damaged the strength of the bridge.

After the flood, Ner di Fioravante and Taddeo Gaddi took on the task of solving the problem of the bridge's stability. In 1335-1345, they carried out work on the construction and strengthening of a new bridge, which should no longer be destroyed under the pressure of clearing water. Since that time, the bridge has stood to this day, becoming the hallmark of Florence.

The use of segmental arches made it the first bridge of its type in all of Europe. The covered bridge consists of three arches rising 4.4 meters. The central span reaches 30 meters, the side spans are slightly smaller - 27 meters each. It is noteworthy that the bridge is made wide - as much as 32 meters.

From the Middle Ages to the present day, merchants' shops have been located on the bridge. Initially there were butchers and tanners here, but the wise council decided to remove them from the symbol of Florence, replacing them with “noble” jewelers and other precious metal craftsmen. The statue of Benvenuto Cellini, the patron saint of Italian jewelers, is a reminder of this.

Benvenuto Cellini

In 1565, the bridge was supplemented with a covered gallery connecting the Palazzo Vecchio with the Palazzo Pitti. The architect of the building was Vasari, which is why it is called the “Vasarino corridor”. The gallery opens from the gallery located above the merchants' shops. great view to the Arno River and Florence.

Vasarino corridor

The next major flood occurred in 1966. All the shops were washed away, but the Ponte Vecchio bridge stood. A truly timeless bridge that is famously popular with tourists visiting the glorious city of Florence.

History of the Ponte Vecchio

The first bridge at the narrowest point of the Arno River, in the area of ​​the ford, was built under the Romans, approximately in the 1st century BC. e. Work on the river bed shortly after World War II revealed a concrete foundation laid at an angle to the banks so that the bridge could withstand frequent destructive floods. Until 123, the width of the bridge increased to 3 m, because the Cassian road was built through it, intended for communication between Rome and the northern provinces. Imperfect Roman architectural tricks did not save the bridge: in the VI-VII centuries. it was destroyed by the combined efforts of the elements and crowds of barbarians who swept across Italy. In the Middle Ages, the restored bridge was swept away by floods at least twice. The penultimate version was built in 1177 on oak beams left over from its predecessor. The flood of 1333, the most violent in the history of the Arno, destroyed it too.

In 1345, the city authorities got tired of paying for regular reconstructions, and they ordered the architect to design a stone bridge. Giorgio Vasari, artist and art historian, claims that this master was Taddeo Gaddi, modern researchers doubt this and attribute the authorship to Neri di Fioravanti. In any case, the new stone bridge, which after some time received the name Vecchio, that is, “old,” quickly became a lively trading place. For sanitary reasons beyond our understanding, butchers' shops were moved here so that they would not leave waste on the street near the palaces of the nobility, but would throw it into the river. Soon the merchants found that there were not enough portable tables, and the sides of the bridge were overgrown with buildings mounted above the water on brackets. This did not add to his beauty, but there was no end to visitors.