Florence’s Ponte Vecchio Bridge has stood over the Arno River for nearly 700 years. One American tourist found out just how far the Italian government will go to protect the landmark.
An unidentified 34-year-old California man has been fined $543 for attempting to drive a rental car across the bridge. He was also fined for failure to have an international driver’s license.
According to CNN, the tourist told police he was trying to find a parking place and didn’t realize he had driven his Fiat Panda onto the medieval bridge, which is open only to pedestrians.
City officials are planning a $2.2 million upgrade to the bridge in the coming months.
Historic Bridge
The bridge is considered one of the most treasured landmarks in Italy. Spanning about 98 feet across the narrowest portion of the Arno River, the bridge was originally built in the year 996. Originally made from wood, flooding washed it away on more than one occasion.
Rebuilt in stone, the current bridge was completed in 1345 and is the only bridge in the city that was spared from bombing during World War II.
The bridge links the city’s historic center with the trendy neighborhood of Oltrarno. Jewelry shops, art galleries, and other attractions can be found on either side of the bridge.
The bridge houses the Vasari Corridor. According to Forbes, the corridor was originally used by Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici to travel between the Pitti Palace and the Palazzo Vecchio.
Other Violations
Protecting the bridge is important to Italian officials. According to Wanted in Rome, a magazine for expatriates in Italy, another U.S. tourist was fined about $195 for writing his name on the bridge.
And driving in unwanted locations is not exclusive to bridges. CNN reported that a Saudi man was arrested last year after he drove a rental car down the Spanish Steps in Rome and became stuck halfway down. He was charged with aggravated damage to cultural heritage and monuments.
In the fall, an American tourist was fined $450 for sitting on the steps of a fountain while eating gelato at the Fontana den Catecumeni in Rome.
