FLORENCE, ITALY, 10 AUGUST 2020: Touristic Boats On Arno River Near Ponte Vecchio, Seen From The Ponte Santa Trinita In Florence. Editorial Image

The Ponte Vecchio - Old Bridge - is a medieval stone closed-spandrel segmental arch bridge over the Arno River. It is noted for the shops built along it, as was once common. Butchers, tanners, and farmers initially occupied the shops; the present tenants are jewelers, art dealers, and souvenir sellers. The Ponte Vecchio`s two neighboring bridges are the Ponte Santa Trinita and the Ponte alle Grazie. The bridge spans the Arno at its narrowest point where it is believed that a bridge was first built in Roman times, when the via Cassia crossed the river at this point. The Roman piers were of stone, the superstructure of wood. During World War II, the Ponte Vecchio was not destroyed by the German army during their retreat at the advance of the British Army on 4 August 1944, unlike all the other bridges from the city. Florence, Tuskany, Italy, Europe.