To visit other Bridges of the month, click on the links above.

    The Ponte Vecchio in Florence, Italy, the "Old Bridge," was built in 1345 and replaced a prior wooden bridge at this crossing, the river's narrowest point.  It spans the Arno River with three arches bridge.  Like the original London Bridge, it has a history of shops on it, originally fishmongers and butchers.  In 1593 King Ferdinando I installed the jewellers on the bridge.  Its architect was Taddeo Gaddi (c. 1300-1366), a Florentine painter and student of Giotto.  It is a segmented arch bridge, meaning the arch did not have to be a complete semi-circle.  The first segmented arch bridge is credited to the Great Stone Bridge across the Chiao Shui in China, built in 610.  Ponte Vecchio is reported to be the first Western segmented arch bridge.  The first bridge on the site may have been built in 50 BC, replacing a ferry.