Ponte Sisto

Commissioned by Pope Sixtus IV in the 1470s, Ponte Sisto was the first bridge built across the Tiber in over a thousand years, constructed partly using stone from an ancient Roman bridge that had collapsed on the same site. Its single elegant arch and central oculus, a circular opening that helps relieve pressure during floods, give it a simpler, more graceful profile than the more heavily decorated bridges nearby. Connecting the Campo de' Fiori side of the center to Trastevere, it's a pleasant, less crowded pedestrian crossing away from the bigger tourist bridges. Street performers and vendors often gather on it in the evenings.