If we motor to Florence from our house in the Lucchesia the one thing we always do is to avoid the Firenze-Mare autostrada both because one has to pay a toll on it and because frankly, it doesn’t enable us to discover new sights easily.

Our favourite route is to head towards Empoli and then take the FI-PI-LI superstrada linking Florence with Pisa and Livorno. The first section takes one through the Cerbaie which are quite similar to the heathlands of the North Downs near Guildford in the UK. In fact, both are geologically of the same structure. Le Cerbaie is, however, the morainic uplands deposited at the end of the ice-age glaciers which once covered Tuscany and formed the Arno valley. You’ll know when you enter the Cerbaie since beautiful woodland spreads along much of it. Here is the protected natural area of Montefalcone which rises west of the Fucecchio Lake (great for bird-watching) and reaches a height of 500 feet.

At around half of our journey time we like to stop at a sweet little location called Ponte a Cappiano.

Ponte a Cappiano is located near the exit channel of the Fucecchio Marshes, by the slopes of the Cerbaie and takes its name from the Medici Bridge of the same name and from the Cappiano hill, which overlooks the bridge.

The existence of this bridge is documented from the early middle Ages: it was managed by the Altopascio Hospitallers and the ancient Via Francigena passed over it.

In particular, in the itinerary of Sigeric, Archbishop of Canterbury, it represented the journey’s twenty fourth stage; the locality was then called Aqua Nigra, most likely because of the dark water of the Usciana canal, an outlet of the Fucecchio Marsh.

In 1325 the bridge was destroyed during the conflict between Florence and Lucca. It was later rebuilt and fortified with a tower and defended with drawbridges. The structure was equipped with a lock to regulate the flow of water but also favoured the fishing of eels, a mill and a water saw for cutting wood.

The Cappiano Bridge was even drawn by Leonardo da Vinci!

The current bridge was built in the first half of the sixteenth century by Cosimo I de ‘Medici when both the open bridge and the covered bridge were constructed. Further buildings were added; these included the tavern, the ironworks and the house of the bridge administrator.

As the plaque on the bridge states:

Cosimo Medici Duca Di Fiorenza
Ha Rifatto Questo Loco Da’ Fondamenti
Per Benefizio Pubblico,
Et Non Sia Chi Lo Disfaccia Più
Con Isperanza D’acquistarne Commodo Al Paese
Sappiendo Ogni Volta Che S’è Disfatto
Essersi Perduto
Di Sotto L’uso Della Terra
Et Di Sopra Della Pescagione
Senza Acquisto Alcuno

Which translates as:

Duke Cosimo Medici of Florence 

Rebuilt this bridge from its foundations

For the benefit of the public,

And let no-one destroy it again

With the hope that it will bring comfort to the land

Knowing that every time it has been destroyed

We have lost

The use of the Earth underneath us

And above us the fisheries

Without any gain.

 Indeed, the whole of this area is a maze of waterways, rivers and canals largely set out by the Medici dynasty to drain the swamps and provide a communication system for barges.

Our pit stop at the bar in Ponte a Cappiano’s Main Square provides a welcome break on our journey and enables us to reach Florence and tackle its traffic with renewed strength!

(Incidentally ten years have passed since we first discovered this bridge and the photos date back to September 2010!)