Somewhere in Time is a photo from around the world. Enjoy!
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Ponte Vecchio, aka The Bridge of Gold, is a really beautiful spot in Florence. At night the bridge seems to glow with lights from the jewelery shops and the shimmer of gold jewelery. The entire bridge is covered in goldsmith shops, locals & tourists shopping and strolling around. The shop windows are incredible to look at because they seem to glitter. I am a sucker for glittery jewelery so I was pretty much mesmerized the entire time. The River Arno flows below the bridge, which is a famous landmark in Florence and the original bridge dated back to around the 900’s. The interesting thing is that back in the day, this bridge was still a popular shopping area but it was home to the local butchers. Rumor has it they threw the nasty bits out into the river at the end of the day. What was left was disgusting bits of entrails, blood & guts floating all around. The smell was overwhelming. It was so putrid that in the late 1500’s the Ferdinand I de’ Medici (of the famous Medici family) decided the smell was too disgusting and decided the bridge would be home to goldsmiths instead. For one, I am relieved – the stench of rotting meat would definitely ruin walking along this beautiful bridge.
I also posted another photo that I took while I was standing on this bridge. If you want to see it click here.
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4 comments
I love this picture. When I was there in October, I can’t stop looking at all the Jewelries too. They’re all so beautiful and it’s like tell you look at me closer and take me home. At night there are band playing on the street, it’s like the bridge become more alive. I so miss that place. I didn’t know they use to throw the left over meat into the water.. that was an interesting story.
The jewelery does beg to come home with you – you’re right! The way it glitters in the windows and the music – ooooh I miss Firenze…@Sarah Wu,
Hehe, the rotting entrails of bloody meat would have been quite a different (but still interesting) site from what it is today! Awesome picture!
Hi Mark,
Thanks I’m glad you like the photos. Yah, apparently the top of the buildings on this bridge (not these exact ones because the bridge was rebuilt a few times due to floods) but the tops of the buildings here were the escape route for the Medici family. They decided it was too stinky for them to cross so they made it the goldsmith section of town since that was more fitting for them! hahaha… can you even imagine being that full of yourself? But in any case, i’m really glad it’s no longer meat bits! @Migrationology,
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