Ponte Vecchio

Giotto's pupil Taddeo Gaddi designed Ponte Vecchio, its picturesque shops were originally the domain of blacksmiths, butchers and tanners. (The river was a convenient place for disposal of waste). Duke Ferdinando I finally evicted the shopkeepers  in 1593.

This was Florence only bridge to escape destruction during the second World War and visitors today come as much to admire the view as to browse among the antique and specialized jewelry shops.

When Vasari planned the Uffizi, he incorporated an aerial corridor (Vasari's Corridor) into the design. The Corridor consists of a covered walkway linking the Palazzo della Signoria to the Pitti Palace, passing through the Uffizi and along to the top of the Ponte Vecchio. To explore the corridor one must book advance tickets for a two hour guided tour.