The history of Florence stretches back as far as the eighth century B.C. when a primitive settlement lived in the valley, close to the Arno. ?Florentia? is recorded as an official Roman colony in 59 B.C. and was designed according to the typical Roman road system, which can be seen in many Italian cities today. There are two principal roads: the ?cardus? descends from the Baptistery to Via Roma and continues on to Via …showed first 75 words of 786 total…

…showed last 75 words of 786 total…which are now Piazza dell'Indipendenza and Piazza D'Azeglio). The 'arnolfiane' wall and the Jewish Ghetto were demolished, to make way for a series of ring roads which were to lead to the Piazzale Michelangelo, and the Piazza della Repubblica. World War Two had a devastating effect on Florence. The city sustained many damages, especially to its bridges and the area inside the 'Ponte Vecchio'. The flood of 1966 further hindered the preservation of valuable Florentine treasures.