Bridges of Florence Italy
by Joan Carroll
Title
Bridges of Florence Italy
Artist
Joan Carroll
Medium
Photograph - Photography And Digital Art
Description
Probably the most famous place to watch the sunset in Florence Italy is from the Piazzale Michelangelo, high above the city on the south side of the Arno River. From here you have a panoramic view of the city from end to end and with the hills beyond. Zoom in for a look at all the bridges crossing the Arno River. In this photo, the Ponte Vecchio is closest followed by Ponte Santa Trinita, Ponte alla Carraia and Ponte Vespucci. Most visitors to Florence remember, and probably walked across Ponte Vecchio. If you look closely, you can see the crowds on the bridge watching the sunset or just strolling. The Ponte Vecchio, or Old Bridge, is a medieval stone segmental arch bridge over the Arno River, noted for still having shops built along it. It spans the narrowest point of the Arno River. Mention of the bridge in a document first occurs in 996 although a crossing existed prior to that. It was the only bridge across the Arno in Florence until 1218. When the Medici moved from Palazzo Vecchio to Palazzo Pitti, they decided they needed a connecting route from the Uffizi to the Palazzo Pitti on the other side of the Arno that would enable them to keep out of contact with the people they ruled. The result was the Corridoio Vasariano (Visari Corridor), built in 1565 by Giorgio Vasari and which runs above the little goldsmiths' shops on the Ponte Vecchio. It is marked by the small windows on the second level. Initially, the shops along the bridge included butchers, fishmongers and tanners, creating quite a stench. In 1593, Ferdinand I decreed that only goldsmiths and jewellers be allowed to have their shops on the bridge. The current bridge dates from 1345 when it was rebuilt after a flood. During World War II it was the only bridge across the Arno that the fleeing Germans did not destroy.
joan carroll, bridge, stores, vintage, street, romantic, culture, architecture, europe, landmark, firenze, historic, ancient, water
Protected with PIXSY
Uploaded
August 5th, 2018
Statistics
Viewed 2,515 Times - Last Visitor from New York, NY on 04/23/2024 at 9:39 AM
Embed
Share
Sales Sheet
