The Medici's secret passage on the Ponte Vecchio

An amazing fact about the Ponte Vecchio over the Arno (the only bridge the Nazis did not blow up in WWII), is that there is an amazing collection of paintings and portraits hidden behind the upper walls on the bridge. A corridor, called the Vasari Corridor, after the architect, was constructed for Cosimo Medici to safely commute the half-mile from the Palazzo Vecchio, his office, to the Pitti Palace, across the Arno. It constitutes the longest single passageway of paintings and portraits in the world. And if you wonder why so many gold and silversmith shops are concentrated on the Ponte Vecchio, it's because Cosimo's son Fernando had the butchers and tanners removed from the bridge, because of the stench, and replaced them with gold and silversmith shops. It is possible to see this incredible art treasure/private walkway of the Medicis. Check out this link: http://weekendafirenze.com/exclusive_tours/uffizi_vasariano_eng.php?lang=en