Following up on my earlier shot of the Ponte Vecchio from a distance, here’s another one from much closer range.
The Ponte Vecchio (Italian for “old bridge”) dates back to the 14th century, although its predecessors on the same site likely date back to the Romans. The top level of the bridge was added on in 1565 — it’s called the Vasari Corridor, after its architect. It was built in a time of political unrest, and connected the Grand Duke’s residence in Palazzo Pitti on the south side of the Arno river to the seat of town government in Palazzo Vecchio on the north side.
Essentially, it allowed the powers-that-be to get to work (or make a hasty escape from it) without having to pass through the potentially hostile crowds of city dwellers.
The bridge is lined with shops, much as in medieval times. Originally, butcher shops predominated, but the Grand Duke soon tired of smelling them on his way to and from work, and the butcher shops moved elsewhere. Now the shops on the Ponte Vecchio are largely jewelry and trinket sellers. But more on them another time…
As you’ve probably guessed, this is another relatively long exposure shot. Again, nothing fancy was required — just set my DSLR up on a tripod, and took a shot on ‘Program’ mode. Actually, it’s a panorama of two shots stitched together vertically. I took it on a very calm, very clear night — notice how much of the bridge and far shore you can see reflected in the river.
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