Florence: the past and the present
On the background we see the difference: today one can look straight through the old palace arch, replaced about a hundred years ago by a complete aperture to let the traffic flow. Also note, on the right side of the picture, the façade of the new Arcivescovado Palace.
On the Arno river we see the boat of the "renaiuoli" and on the wharf some women washing and hanging out clothes. The older wharf was used by merchants to move goods transported on the Arno.
Today no boats sail on the river. On the right is seen the garden of the rowing society of Florence.
In these two pictures of the Cestello church we see the similarity of appearance between the older photo, taken about the middle of XIX century, and the modern one.
Via de'Calzaiuoli, the most important street of Florence, rich in shops and boutiques, seen from the Duomo Square. As may be seen almost nothing has changed in the buildings, except for cars parked in the older photo.
Ruins of "Borgo San Jacopo", an ancient street of Florence, in 1944, immediately after World War II.
The image to the right shows the appearance of these buildings today, after reconstruction.
The "Santa Trinita" bridge is a real icon in the history of Florence's bridges. Erected in 1252 it has been seriously damaged by floods many times, and rebuilt by famous architects like Taddeo Gaddi or Bartolomeo Ammannati.
In these two pictures we see the appearance of the bridge immediately after World War II and today's new style.
The Basilica of Santa Croce that stands on the square of the same name is one of the most ancient Franciscan basilicas and one of the most important examples of the Gothic in Italy.
The new façade was built by Niccolò Matas in 1853. In these pictures the comparison between the old façade and the present one.
Ponte Vecchio was the first bridge to be erected in 1177 on the Arno river.
In 1345 Taddeo Gaddi designed the new bridge in stone housing goldsmith shops. Today these shops are still there.
At the top of the right-hand image are the windows of the famous Vasari Corridor built by Giorgio Vasari for Cosimo I de Medici in 1565.
In these two pictures we see the appearance of the façade before it was destroyed during World War II, and the modern buildings constructed on the river in the Oltrarno quarter, on the other side of the river, close to "Ponte Vecchio".