Ponte Vecchio is the oldest surviving bridge in Florence and one of the most famous landmarks in Tuscany. It crosses the Arno River in the historic center, linking the northern side of the city with the Oltrarno district, between Via Por Santa Maria and Via de’ Guicciardini. The bridge stands close to several major attractions, including Piazza della Signoria, the Uffizi Galleries, Palazzo Pitti, and the riverside streets known as Lungarni. Its position makes it one of the most visited points in Florence and one of the easiest monuments to include in a walking route. Ponte Vecchio is about 95 meters long and approximately 20 meters wide. It is not only a bridge, but also a built street lined with shops. Its present structure dates mainly from 1345, after earlier bridges in the same area were destroyed by floods. The bridge is famous for its jewelers, goldsmiths, medieval shops, and the Vasari Corridor above the eastern side. These elements make it different from most European bridges, because it combines transport, commerce, architecture, political history, and urban life in a single monument. Ponte Vecchio is also important because it survived major disasters, including the flood of 1966 and the destruction of Read more [...]
Tag: Taddeo Gaddi in Florence
Basilica of San Miniato al Monte
The Basilica of San Miniato al Monte is a Romanesque church in Florence, located on one of the highest points in the city, in Via delle Porte Sante. San Miniato (Saint Minias) was an Armenian soldier, who was killed in the year 250 AD by the Roman soldiers of Emperor Decius, because he converted to Christianity, and Christians were persecuted at that time. He is considered the first martyr of the city and his remains are supposedly kept today in the crypt of San Miniato al Monte. SHORT HISTORY The oldest historical evidence of a church dedicated to San Miniato dates back to the year 783. The building was neglected and unsafe, and the Florentine bishop Ildebrando began to build a new one on April 27, 1018. The church was finished two hundred years later, in the 13th century. In 1373, the Olivetan monks arrived in Florence, called by the Pope Gregorio XI, and settled in the monastery, where you can still find them today. The Chapel dedicated to the Cardinal Giacomo di Coimbra (Cardinal of Portugal) was built between 1461 and 1466 by Antonio Manetti and finished by Antonio Rossellino, after his death. During the 16th century, with Read more [...]
