The medieval Ponte Vecchio Trìnita, or “Old Bridge,” is one of the most charming and iconic sites in Florence. This is a Renaissance bridge in Florence, Italy, spanning the Arno. The Ponte Santa Trìnita is the oldest elliptic arch bridge in the world, characterized by three flattened ellipses. The outside spans each measure 29 m with the center span being 32 m in length.

The bridge was constructed by the Florentine architect Bartolomeo Ammannati from 1567 to 1569. Its site, downstream of the Ponte Vecchio, is a major link in the medieval street plan of Florence, which has been bridged at this site since the 13th century.

The wooden bridge of 1252 was swept away in a flood seven years later and was rebuilt in stone; this structure was in turn destroyed by a flood in 1333. The bridge of five arches constructed by Taddeo Gaddi was also destroyed in the flood of 1557, which occasioned Ammannati’s replacement.

The bridge is remarkable that Adolf Hitler had ordered to destroy the Ponte Santa Trinita, but he explicitly ordered to spare his beloved bridge, the Ponte Vecchio. Even though, this was a possible access route for the Allies, who were located south of the Arno.

According to the Wikipedia