This charming bridge is the oldest bridge in Florence; it
was built in 1345 and it was the only bridge to escape destruction in the
World War II. Initially the bridge was occupied by butchers, tanners and
blacksmiths but they were evicted by the Medici duke Ferdinand I in 1593
because of the noise and smell they created. Instead the workshops were
rented to blacksmiths and jewelers which still occupy the bridge today. The
shops seem to be selling everything, from affordable new jewelry to antique
one. On the eastern side of the bridge is the Vasari corridor which was used
by members of the Medici family to move between Palazzo Pitti and Palazzo
Vecchio via Uffizi. The corridor is full of many famous works of art
(unfortunatelly it was closed when we visited Uffizi).
