Oltrarno was one of the oldest areas of the city, and was heavily populated by craftsmen. In addition, the religious community was well represented, with the monastery and church of Santo Spirito. Later in Florentine history, the Medici bought the Palazzo Pitti, connecting it to the Palazzo della Signoria and the Uffizi with a series of secret passages, one of which crossed the upper level of the Ponte Vecchio. The network was a smart investment considering all the different people throughout the Renaissance who had attempted to kill them.