Ponte Vecchio is a medieval bridge found in the city of Florence, crossing over the Arno River and is so ancient that it dates back to the Roman Empire era. Destroyed by a flood in 1333, it was rebuilt in 1345 by Taddeo Gaddi. In 1565, Giorgio Vasar was commissioned to upgrade the bridge, adding an upper corridor. This bridge is famous for the houses positioned along its span, some of them protruding out to the side. Initially, however, they were workshops where shopkeepers such as butchers and tanners practiced their trades. In 1593, they were replaced with goldsmiths, because the shops produced too much garbage and caused a foul stench. The Ponte Vecchio was the only bridge in Florence that survived WWII unscathed, and it was the only bridge spared by the Germans during the siege in Italy.