Historical Center of Florence - Ponte Vecchio @ Florence - The Oltrarno Quarter
Ponte Vecchio - Via de` Guicciardini
Ponte Vecchio
The first documents testifying the presence of a bridge in this point of the river Arno date back to 972. The 1177 flooding and the much worster one in 1333 destroyed the bridge.
Butchers initially occupied the shops on the bridge but in the XVI century the Grand Duke Ferdinando I ordered that they were replaced by jewelers.
The present
Ponte Vecchio was built in 1345.
Ponte Vecchio is the sole Florentine bridge that the German troops did not destroyed in August 1944 during their retreat.
In 1215 Buondelmonte de` Buondelmonti was murdered at the foot of the
Ponte Vecchio under the statue of Mars. The assassination of Buondelmonte set off the conflict between Guelphs and Ghibellines. With the passing of time, the conflict spread from
Florence to the whole Tuscany. The river Arno swept away the statue of Mars in 1333.
