Originally built in 1227, the Ponte Alle Grazie is the oldest of the bridges crossing the Arno and the longest, with nine arches. In 1345, it was rebuilt after a flood swept the bridge away, and in 1347 two arches were filled in to help widen the Piazza dei Mozzi. In 1944, along with all of the city's other bridges except Ponte Vecchio, the Ponte Alle Grazie was destroyed by the German army as it exited the city. Rebuilt in 1953, the Ponte Alle Grazie has four slender piers with five thin arches.

pontevecchio

Ponte Vecchio

Constructed in 1345 on the narrowest point of the river, Ponte Vecchio is the only bridge to have survived the invasion of German troops in 1944. In the 17th century, meat shops lined the bridge, but today it's home to Florence's gold market. It is believed that the concept of bankruptcy originated here. Merchants who couldn't pay their taxes had their tables broken, a practice known in Italian as "banco rotto." Modern translation for bankruptcy in Italian is "banca rotta."

trinita

Ponte Santa Trinita

Constructed in 1567 during the renaissance by Bartolomeo Ammannati, the Ponte Santa Trinita was named "Holy Trinity Bridge" after a nearby church. In 1608, to celebrate the wedding of Cosimo II de' Medici to Maria Magdalena of Austria, four ornamental statues representing each season were added to either side of the bridge. After the German army destroyed the bridge in 1944, the head of Primavera was thought to be lost forever. The bridge was rebuilt in 1958, without the head of Primavera, but in 1961 a man found the head in the bed of the Arno downriver. Today, the Ponte Santa Trinita holds the title for the oldest elliptic arch bridge in the world.

Ponte Alla Carraia

Originally built in 1218 of wood but destroyed by a flood in 1274, the Alla Carraia was rebuilt using stone; it later collapsed in 1304. After the 1333 flood, it was the first bridge rebuilt in 1557 by Bartolomeo Ammannati, the same architect who would later construct the Ponte Santa Trinita. After being destroyed by the Germans in 1944, it was rebuilt in 1948.

bridges continued at left . . .

Caroline Anthony, reporter
Anthony Ciavarelli, videographer
Hannah Watwood, photographer

In one of the Renaissance city's many ironies, the overwhelming crush of tourists on city buses is presenting Florence with a thoroughly modern problem. In an attempt to address transportation infrastructure questions, the city is building a tram and tram bridge, sparking controversy about what is best for the City of Stone.

See a photo slideshow of Florence's beautiful bridges

Called Tramvia, the new tram system puts lightweight passenger cars on a rail system that will traverse the Arno River.

The system promises more precise timetables than the current bus system, with intervals between tram cars of only three to four minutes, according to Sandro Pertini, a spokesperson for Tramvia. All good, right?

Stefano Sanucci, a native Florentine who rides his bike through Cascine park each day on his way to work, disagrees. Tramvia will plough right through Cascine.

"I do not think the Tramvia is good for Florence," he said. "The streets are too tight to accommodate a tram, cars, bikes and people. It will make travel more difficult."

Franco Ciardini, a crew boat rower on the Arno for almost 50 years, also opposes the project. A sixth-generation Florentine with a passion for teaching, Ciardini says, "I love my city and keeping it the same is very important to me and to future generations."

Ciardini volunteers at the Societa Canottieri Firenze, teaching young rowers about the art of rowing and the importance of preserving one of the most historical cities in the world.

"I want them to have respect for the city and its history," he said.

Positioned four bridges north of the historic Ponte Vecchio bridge on Florence's Arno River, the new tram bridge will be part of approximately three and a half miles of track connecting the city with the Tuscan countryside.

Officials for the City of Florence say that the first Tramvia line should be completed by February 2009 and that the entire system should be completed in the summer of 2009.

Whether or not the tram system is ultimately beneficial for Florentines, something must be done to alleviate the traffic congestion. According to Tramvia's web site, more than 2,300 buses releasing damaging emissions pass by the Duomo every day, vibrating the church's foundation.

The new tram bridge is only the second constructed in Florence over the Arno in the last 400 years. Each of Florence's bridges serves different purposes, and each has a unique, storied history.

Editor's note: FlorenceNow would like to thank Marc Westenbkurg for translating interview question responses by Sandro Pertini.

. . . bridges continued

vespucci

Ponte Amerigo Vespucci

Built in 1957, Ponte Amerigo Vespucci is the newest. It was constructed using parts pulled from the bed of the Arno from previous bridges destroyed by the Germans in 1944.

Named after Amerigo Vespucci, a native Florentine who was known for his voyages to the new world alongside Christopher Columbus, the Ponte was dedicated on the 500th anniversary of Vespucci's birth.

The bridge's main purpose was to ease the amount of traffic on the other bridges and to introduce modern architecture into a historic area.

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