Ponte Vecchio Florence Italy
by Joan Carroll
Title
Ponte Vecchio Florence Italy
Artist
Joan Carroll
Medium
Photograph - Photography And Digital Art
Description
The Ponte Vecchio, or Old Bridge, is a medieval stone segmental arch bridge over the Arno River, in Florence, Italy, noted for still having shops built along it. It spans the narrowest point of the river and 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 round 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. In 1900, to honor and mark the fourth century of the birth of the great Florentine sculptor and master goldsmith Benvenuto Cellini, the leading goldsmiths of the bridge commissioned a bronze bust of Cellini to stand atop a fountain in the middle of the Eastern side of the bridge, seen on the left along with the ubiquitous mass of love locks on the railing. Ironically, a little bronze plaque on the front railing of the fountain reads in Italian and English 'It's not allowed to put locks on the railing.' The fine is 50 euro.
FEATURED PHOTO, Pin Me - Daily group, 4/13/17
FEATURED PHOTO, Photograph Manipulation Ii group, 3/27/17
joan carroll, stores, fence, vintage, street, romantic, culture, architecture, europe, landmark, firenze, historic, ancient
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March 26th, 2017
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Viewed 2,749 Times - Last Visitor from New York, NY on 04/19/2024 at 9:59 PM
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Comments (78)
Morris Finkelstein
Beautiful Florence streetscape photograph with great architecture, perspective, processing , and composition, Joan! F/L
Christopher James
One of your peers nominated this image in the 1000 views Groups nominated images by your fellow artist in the Special Features #10 promotion discussion. Please visit and pass on the love to another artist.
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