Landmark Collection » Ponte Vecchio

The Ponte Vecchio, a medieval bridge over the River Arno in Florence, is noted for having many jewellery shops built along it.

The Ponte Vecchio has always hosted shops and merchants, who displayed their goods on tables after authorisation of the Bargello or magistrate. It is said that the economic concept of bankruptcy originated here. When a merchant could not pay his debts, the table on which he sold his wares, the "banco" was physically broken, "rotto" by soldiers, and this practice was called "bancorotto", broken table. Not having a table anymore, the merchant was not able to sell anything.