Florence’s “Old Bridge” - in Italian “Ponte Vecchio” - is a medieval stone closed-spandrel segmental arch bridge, connecting Via Por Santa Maria to Via de’ Guicciardini over the Arno river. What makes the bridge so unique is the parade of shops built along it. While these used to be taken up by butchers, tanners and farmers, today it is made up of jewellers, art dealers and souvenir shops.

This change is said to have occurred in 1565, when, in an attempt to enhance its prestige and clean it up, a decree was made by the Medici family to exclude butchers who had monopolised the expanse since 1442. The current bridge has stood since approximately 1339 and is understood to have replaced a bridge first built in Roman times.