Florence's Ponte Vecchio gets new lights

(ANSA) - Florence, June 16 - Florence's famed Ponte Vecchio bridge is set to show off its new eco-friendly lighting system for the first time on Monday night.
    The new 'green' lighting system - a gift from the Stefano Ricci fashion house to mark the 60th anniversary of the city's Fashion Centre - will be switched on for the first time by tenor Andrea Bocelli.
    The illuminations will be accompanied by an aquatic spectacle called 'Fous de Bassin' on the Arno beneath the iconic bridge, performed by the French art troupe Iliotopie and sponsored by Italian banking giant Unicredit.
    There will also be a procession featuring people who practice the famously tough Calcio Fiorentino game, whose origins date back to the 16th century, and the Tuscan city's Bandierai degli Uffizi flag-throwing performers. Italian actor Giancarlo Giannini is also taking part in the the event on the eve of Florence's Pitti Uomo men's fashion fair.
    The new lighting system cost over 400,000 euros.
    It is made up of 102 LEDs for the internal part of the bridge, plus 16 LED-lit structures for the exterior.
    The system will reduce the energy needed to light the bridge by 79.33%, saving the city council between 12 and 15 million euros a year.