Ponte alle Grazie, Concrete bridge in Florence, Italy.
The Ponte alle Grazie is a concrete bridge spanning 150 meters across the Arno River, connecting central Florence to the Oltrarno district. Its slender piers and thin arches create a modern, streamlined passage between the two banks.
The original bridge built in 1237, first called Ponte di Rubaconte, was a substantial nine-arch structure lined with chapels and hermitages. Following its destruction during World War II, the current concrete version was reconstructed afterward.
The name comes from a small chapel that once displayed an icon of Madonna alle Grazie on one of its medieval piers. This religious origin connects the bridge to centuries of spiritual significance in the city.
The bridge is roughly 14.5 meters wide and accommodates both pedestrians and vehicles crossing between the city center and the southern bank. Its flat, straightforward design makes crossing easy at any time of day.
The current bridge resulted from a post-war design competition won by three architects: Giovanni Michelucci, Edoardo Detti, and Riccardo Gizdulich in 1953. This collaborative effort produced an unexpectedly modern solution that differed dramatically from the original medieval structure.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
