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The Building of The New Santa Trinita Bridge in Forence, 1567

The new Santa Trinita bridge was built by Ammannati (1567-1569) over the site of the bridge that collapsed during the flood of 1557; the new bridge was meant to commemorate the victory over Siena. The stupendous lines of the arches, which may have been influenced by Michelangelo, are matched by the beautiful tensions in the scroll decorations.

The feature, however, that makes the bridge an unique and intense structure, is the urbanistic concept: a ribbon stretching across the river, raised to permit the waters to flow unimpeded and also to dominate the perspective towards Santa Trinita on one side and down Via Maggio on the other.

The central part of the bridge is a panoramic terrace on the axis of the north-south routes and facing the river to define the section between the Ponte Vecchio and Ponte Santa Trinita as a closed pool, with scenic views of the hills to the south.

According to the diarist Lapini, "Each was admired for the lovely views of the Arno's waters" The interest in the landscape value of the river (also in relation to the new interest in living in open spaces) was also evident in many aspects of the city's culture during the sixteenth century.

The construction of the Santa Trinita bridge also corresponded to the need for strengthening links with the Oltrarno district that had acquired new importance now that the ducal residence was installed in the Pitti Palace. Via Maggio became one of the city's main roads.

During the sixteenth and following centuries, this street was to be lined with splendid palaces designed by the best architects. At the point where it crosses Via Romana, that is in Piazzetta di S. Felice, Cosimo had Ammannati build a column celebrating the victory at Marciano in 1572.

There was supposed to have been a statue of Peace at the top of the column, but it was never erected because Cosimo died in the meantime. The column stood on this square until 1838 when Leopold II had it removed because it was obstructing traffic and blocking the center of the square. Today it is again in the place. Another column, the biggest of all was raised in the sixteenth century in Piazza San Marco at the end of the "Medici street", Via Larga.

According to some accounts, the column was to have been topped by the statue of Abundance. it had been started by Giambologna and was finished in Tacca's workshop (1636-7) it was finally placed at the end of the sixteenth century axis in the Boboli Gardens.

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