Italy - Florence - Ponte Vecchio graffiti and tourist shadow

The shadow of a tourist is seen across a central pillar covered in graffiti on Ponte Vecchio that crosses River Arno, Florence. The names of past visitors are etched on the medieval plaster and beyond is a rower who sculls upstream on the river towards the boating club that lies just beyond the bridge at the water's edge. The Ponte Vecchio ("Old Bridge") is a Medieval 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 jewellers, art dealers and souvenir sellers. It has been described as Europe's oldest wholly-stone, closed-spandrel segmental arch bridge. To enforce the prestige of the bridge, in 1593 the Medici Grand Dukes prohibited butchers from selling there; their place was immediately taken by several gold merchants.

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Filename: florence_italy79-22-10-2010.jpg
Image Size: 4368x2912 / 2.4MB; ponte vecchio bridge eu europe italian italy tuscany florence ageing old medieval historic past bygone era heritage graffiti scrawled names heart love expression pillar arno river rower row shadow visitor vacation holiday tour travel tourist tourism
Contained in galleries: Florence: A Medici Dystopia, Worlds of Travel

The shadow of a tourist is seen across a central pillar covered in graffiti on Ponte Vecchio that crosses River Arno, Florence. The names of past visitors are etched on the medieval plaster and beyond is a rower who sculls upstream on the river towards the boating club that lies just beyond the bridge at the water's edge. The Ponte Vecchio ("Old Bridge") is a Medieval 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 jewellers, art dealers and souvenir sellers. It has been described as Europe's oldest wholly-stone, closed-spandrel segmental arch bridge. To enforce the prestige of the bridge, in 1593 the Medici Grand Dukes prohibited butchers from selling there; their place was immediately taken by several gold merchants.