The Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri) is a famous bridge in Venice, located in the San Marco district (sestiere), only a few meters away from Piazza San Marco. The bridge connects the Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale) to the New Prison (Prigioni Nuove), crossing over the canal of Rio del Palazzo. Admiring Ponte dei Sospiri from Ponte della Paglia, we can still imagine Casanova crossing the bridge, looking at the San Giorgio Maggiore island in the distance, sighing for freedom. The Venetian adventurer, who was arrested in 1755, escaped a few months later from prison, but for many others, passing over the Bridge of Sighs probably offered the last glance to the outside world. SHORT HISTORY OF THE BRIDGE OF SIGHS Ponte dei Sospiri was built at the beginning of the 17th century by the architect Antonio Contino, son of Bernardino Contino and grandson of Antonio Da Ponte, the architect of the Rialto Bridge. More precisely, the bridge was built between 1600 and 1603 at the behest of Doge Marino Grimani, whose coat of arms is carved on the bridge, to link the New Prison and the Doge’s Palace, where the prisoners were taken to be judged. The bridge Read more [...]
All Bridges in Venice
Rialto Bridge
The Rialto Bridge (Ponte di Rialto) is the oldest of the four bridges crossing the Grand Canal, in Venice, and by far the most beautiful of them all. SHORT HISTORY OF THE RIALTO BRIDGE According to some chronicles, the first bridge over the Grand Canal built on this spot was a wooden bridge supported by boats. The first true bridge was built in the second half of the 12th century, more precisely around 1180, by the architect Nicolò Barattiero, during the time of Doge Sebastiano Ziani. The bridge was called Ponte della Moneta (Bridge of the Coins), due to a coin mint located nearby. The wooden bridge was replaced twice, in 1264, during the reign of Doge Renier Zen, and in 1310, when was damaged during the retreat of the rebels led by Bajamonte Tiepolo. In 1444, Ponte di Rialto collapsed under the weight of a large crowd gathered to watch the procession of the bride of the Marquis of Ferrara. In 1503, the construction of a stone bridge was proposed for the first time. The first project was carried out in 1514 by Fra Giovanni Giocondo, but the bridge didn’t last long and collapsed in 1524. In 1551, Read more [...]
Ponte del Diavolo
Ponte del Diavolo (Devil’s Bridge) is one of the two remaining bridges on the island of Torcello. At the same time, it is one of the only two bridges without parapets still found in the Venetian Lagoon, the other being Ponte del Chiodo, located in the sestiere (district) of Cannaregio, in Venice. SHORT HISTORY OF PONTE DEL DIAVOLO Recent archaeological studies attested that the bridge was built in the 15th century, on the site of a previous narrow bridge dating back to the 13th century. However, the origin of its name was not yet established. Some locals claim to come from the surname of a local family, Diavoli, and others remember the legend of a pact with the devil that a young man made in the 19th century, during the Austrian occupation of Venice, to recover his dead lover. On August 6, 2009, the radical restoration of the monument was completed, with an intervention that rigorously maintained its original structure, reinforcing the arch of the bridge. HOW TO GET TO PONTE DEL DIAVOLO To get to the island of Torcello, from Burano, Murano or Venice, you can take the waterbus Line 12 ACTV. The trip from Venice (Fondamente Read more [...]