Ponte di Mezzo

The game of the Bridge: In medieval times (its first mention dates back to 1168) it was known by the name of massa schudo, or Mazzascudo and took place in winter in the current Piazza dei Cavalieri. January 17 was the day dedicated to the Battagliaccia, that acted like a school to train the newcomers, followed by the General Battle. The brave of the Gazza and the Gallo, the two factions of the city, were invited to participate by equipping themselves with helmet and breastplate, a shield and a mace in their right hand. With the Florentine domination the game suffered an interruption, but Francesco I de’ Medici promoted its resumption in 1568. The game was moved to the Ponte di Mezzo to simulate a naval battle. In the eighteenth century, the Lorraine decided to end the game. In 1807, the regent of Etruria Maria Luisa, declared that the game is too much for play, and too little for for war and therefore it was suspended. It was resumed in 1935, completely renovated: the clothes, in Spanish late Renaissance style, were designed by the futurist artist Fortunato Bellonzi, six Magistracies were created on each side, Tramontana to the North, Mezzogiorno to the South, but the war interrupted the game again. Since 1982, the Game of the Bridge has been held every year on the last Saturday of June, with a procession of as many as 700 characters in exhibition along all the Pisan Lungarni and a simulated battle on the bridge with the help of a cart pushed by 20 fighters on each side.

Curiosities about the river: given the numerous floods of the Arno, which several times destroyed the bridges of Pisa (the last in 1966, which caused the collapse of the Solferino bridge), the city resorted to several solutions to regulate its course. In 1528, engineer Amadio d'Alberto suggested turning to the genius of Michelangelo Buonarroti for a river water containment project, and so it was. After a full day spent consulting the papers, on 4 June 1528, Michelangelo presented his project, which unfortunately was lost due to the siege of Florence that brought the Medici back to power.