<Tr> <Th> Longest span </Th> <Td> 30 metres (98 ft) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Ponte Vecchio Bridge Location in Florence Ponte Vecchio Bridge Location in Florence Show map of Florence Show map of Tuscany Show all </Td> </Tr> <P> The Ponte Vecchio ("Old Bridge", Italian pronunciation: (ˈponte ˈvɛkkjo)) is a medieval stone closed - spandrel segmental arch bridge over the Arno River, in Florence, Italy, noted for still having shops built along it, as was once common . Butchers initially occupied the shops; the present tenants are jewelers, art dealers and souvenir sellers . The Ponte Vecchio's two neighbouring bridges are the Ponte Santa Trinita and the Ponte alle Grazie . </P> <P> 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 . The bridge first appears in a document of 996 . After being destroyed by a flood in 1117 it was reconstructed in stone but swept away again in 1333 save two of its central piers, as noted by Giovanni Villani in his Nuova Cronica . It was rebuilt in 1345 . Giorgio Vasari recorded the traditional view of his day that attributed its design to Taddeo Gaddi--besides Giotto one of the few artistic names of the trecento still recalled two hundred years later . Modern historians present Neri di Fioravanti as a possible candidate . Sheltered in a little loggia at the central opening of the bridge is a weathered dedication stone, which once read Nel trentatrè dopo il mille - trecento, il ponte cadde, per diluvio dell' acque: poi dieci anni, come al Comun piacque, rifatto fu con questo adornamento . The Torre dei Mannelli was built at the southeast corner of the bridge to defend it . </P>

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