The most famous bridges in Venice. Bridges of Venice Famous bridge of Venice
Of course, Venice, since it all stands in the middle of the waters of the lagoon, is a city of numerous canals and bridges and bridges thrown over them, the number of which reaches four hundred.
However, in fairness, it should be noted that, for example, in Amsterdam, there are even more canals and bridges, and our St. Petersburg, at least, surpasses Venice in the number of bridges.
But the Venetian bridges, like the canals of this city gradually sinking under water, are unique not in their number, but in the fact that you can move around Venice either on foot - from one bridge to another, or along the canals - on gondolas, boats and vaporets. Unlike Amsterdam with its numerous bicycles and St. Petersburg, which will soon be as difficult to travel by car as in Moscow with its eternal traffic jams, in Venice there are simply no other means of transportation.
Before I get to the main topic a fifth of his photo essays about Venice , again, as in the previous part, I bring to your attention a little etymology directly related to this topic.
In any big city there are several squares. And they are called squares. So, there are many squares in Venice, but only one of them - the most important - received the right to be called a square - "Piazza San Marco"
. Even its continuation, facing the Grand Canal, is no longer "piazza"
, A "piazzetta"
(i.e. small area). Well, all the other squares in Venice - "campi", "campielli"
And "campazzo"
, kind of like the same area, but not quite.
The same applies to the names of the Venetian canals. Only one received the right to be named "channel"
- famous Grand Canal
, and all other channels are named "rio"
(this is a big channel) "riello"
(smaller channel) and "rio menuo"
(very small channel).
But all are numerous bridges of Venice
, regardless of whether they are thrown through “rio” or “rio menuo”, they have the same name - "ponte"
.
It is precisely the Venetian pontes that this photo essay of mine is dedicated to.
The most famous bridges in Venice are definitely the two that have long history , which, however, is quite fair.
The first of them is BRIDGE OF SIGHS.
Photo from the Grand Canal:
This small bridge over a narrow canal Rio di Palazzo most popular among tourists, especially those not very experienced in history. It owes its fame not so much to its architectural merits as to numerous references in various literary works of the 19th century, which dubbed it with such a poetic name.
But nothing to do with loving sighs , so glorified by the literature of the Romantic era, this bridge had no relation and does not have. The people walking along it sighed for a completely different reason.
The fact is that in the past this bridge served as a fatal crossing for unfortunate convicts who were taken for interrogation or returned to their cells after interrogation (and what were the methods of investigation in relation to state criminals, and others did not cross this bridge, in the “enlightened” Europe of the 17th - 18th centuries, I think, no one needs to explain).
The Bridge of Sighs led from the Hall of the Forty Elders, the Court and the Bar, located in the Doge's Palace, to the New Prisons of the Venetian Republic, built in the 16th - 17th centuries on the opposite side of the Rio di Palazzo canal.
In order to connect detention cells with courtrooms, Doge Marino Grimani
ordered the construction of a bridge across the canal in the form of two narrow passages.
IN 1602 year the bridge was built (presumably according to the design Antonio Contina ). It is located at a high altitude and is closed on all sides, including the top. The supporting arch is decorated with sculpted masks, above it there is a kind of horizontal line with a series of rusticated pilasters and two small windows with marble patterned grilles. Above is a tympanum with a bas-relief in the center representing a figure Justice between two lions. And the roof of the bridge is topped with curls of volutes.
In this photo, the Court is on the right, and the Prison on the left:
The second is the RIALTO BRIDGE.
This is the oldest bridge across the Grand Canal, remaining the only one that connected the two “banks” of the Grand Canal until the twentieth century.
Rialto Bridge in the 18th century in a painting by Francesco Guardi:
The same bridge now:
In its place there was first a pontoon bridge called "della Moneta" (coin bridge), later it was replaced by a wooden one, which was destroyed during the rebellion of Baiamone Tiepolo. In 1444, the newly built bridge collapsed, but in its place a new one was built - a drawbridge, on both sides of which there were trading shops .
By the 16th century, the bridge had fallen into such a state of disrepair that it began to pose a danger both to pedestrians and traders, and to gondolas sailing underneath it along the Canal, and then it was decided to build a stone bridge, under the arcades of which, according to tradition, shops could also be located. Well, of course, because trade was the main basis for the prosperity of the Venetian Republic!
Such famous architects as Michelangelo , Sansovino And Palladio , but preference was given to the project Antonio da Ponte(the surname itself is very characteristic, isn’t it?).
Bridge built in 1592 year, has one powerful arch 28 meters long (at this point the Grand Canal is the narrowest), rising above the water by height 7.5 meters .
They sell mainly various kinds of souvenirs, mostly, of course, made in China, although almost every “Venetian mask” - the most popular product - has a brand on it "Hand made" , "Original Italy" , and above each trade stall there is an inscription "No China!"
Well, yes, of course!
I once went into a workshop where they make real Venetian masks, hand-painted, and looked at the prices. They start from 75 euros for the simplest one! And there are both for 200 and 500 euros! And on the Rialto Bridge - from 7 to 20 euros. Draw your own conclusions.
However, back to bridges and footbridges .
For example, Scalzi Bridge built across the Grand Canal in 1934 year, connecting the areas of Santa Croce and Cannaregio:
And again the ubiquitous advertising!!!
And here is one of the bridges on Riva degli Schiavoni (Slovenska Embankment), where earlier (since the 9th century) boats arrived loaded with goods, the sale of which was carried out mainly by the inhabitants of Dalmatia, called Slovenes in Venice (well, that is, Slavs).
Now, mainly small ships with tourists who dream of seeing the main attractions of Venice arrive at this embankment.
Tourists walk along the Riva degli Schiavoni to Piazza San Marco:
Is there some more Academy Bridge
, Constitution Bridge
, but they seemed uninteresting to me, despite the fact that they are located above the Grand Canal itself.
And this one bridge in front of Arsenal , I really liked it:
After all the cutest (sorry for being too sentimental) this little ponte , thrown over "rio" and "rio menuo".
For example, these:
Romance (I don't mean gondola passengers):
And there's no one...
As you can see, leaning towers are not only found in Pisa:
And interesting palazzos can be seen not only on the Grand Canal:
However, tourists are everywhere in Venice:
Thank you for attention.
Sergey Vorobiev.
To be continued...
Venice is a surprisingly romantic city with many cozy buildings and small canals separating them, where a unique atmosphere reigns. The city on the water boasts a huge number of attractions, while visiting them, tourists often forget about another marvelous feature of Venice - its bridges. We have selected six of the most beautiful and unusual, in our opinion, bridges.
The Scalzi Bridge (Ponte degli Scalzi), designed by Eugenio Miozzi, is one of the crossings over the Grand Canal. It is this bridge that you will see first when arriving in Venice: it is located in close proximity to the city’s train station and connects two districts: Santa Croce and Cannaregio, separated by a canal. Ponte degli Scalzi is translated from Italian as “barefoot bridge”. According to one legend, the bridge received this name because beggars lived not far from it and did not even have enough money to buy shoes. The construction of Scalzi was completed in the 1930s, and since then hundreds of thousands of feet of local residents and tourists have walked along it.
Although this Ponte della Liberta does not stand out as anything special, be it an interesting history or anything else, from the community of its brothers located in Venice, it is still unique for the city in that it connects it to land, and specifically with the Mestre area. Created in 1932 by the talented Eugenio Miozia and opened in 1933 on the orders of Benito Mussolini, the bridge became a symbol of the decline of the fascist dictatorship. It stretches for almost four kilometers, making it one of the longest not only in Venice, but in all of Italy.
(Ponte di Rialto) was built back in 1591, it is not surprising that it is considered one of the oldest in Venice. Once upon a time, local merchants who lived nearby traded with all their might and merchant ships that arrived from far away with overseas wonders unloaded. Many hundreds of years have passed, but life on Rialto is still in full swing. Tourists invariably come here to take a photo from the bridge: the Rialto offers breathtaking views.
Perhaps this bridge can be called one of the most famous in Venice. It was built back in 1602 from white marble according to the design of Antonio Contino, whose uncle, by the way, was the author of the Rialto Bridge. Despite its romantic name, (Ponte dei Sospiri) has a rather sad history. It connects the building of the Doge's Palace, where court sessions once took place, and the prison, to which many prisoners were sent after the trial. Only on this bridge could the convicts take a last look at the city on the water.
Ponte dei Pugni is translated from Italian as “bridge of fists”. It received this name for a reason; behind it there is an interesting story that happened many hundreds of years ago, when the Venetian tradition of fist fights still existed. The purpose of the tournaments was to throw the enemy into the water, which was not very difficult: the bridge did not have railings. And today, attentive tourists notice on the Bridge of Fists the marks that the participants in the battle stood on before it began.
Not far from the majestic canal, the Straw Bridge (Ponte della Paglia) spans the waters. Tourists who have visited it often ask where it got its name, since straw was definitely not the material used to create it. The graceful Straw Bridge has its own history. Local residents claim that it was named so because many centuries ago a straw merchant lived next to the bridge.
In addition to the majestic bridges that have their own history, Venice also has a huge number of anonymous pontes that also deserve attention. Therefore, when you go to a city on the water, carefully study them too: you will probably find their own zest in each!
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In Italy, there is a sign that came from nowhere - in order for a marriage to be strong and happy, the newlyweds must cross seven bridges. In this case, the newlyweds of Venice can be envied - the city has more than 400 bridges connecting the islands and islets that make up this charming and incredibly romantic city. The bridges of Venice are unique and inimitable, each has its own story - mysterious, sad or romantic...
Rialto is the very first bridge in Venice, connecting the banks of the Grand Canal.
Rialto Bridge
Its history began in 1181, when, under the leadership of engineer Nicolo Baratieri, a pontoon bridge was built, named Ponte della Moneta in honor of the nearby Mint.
After a hundred years, due to the development of the Rialto Market Canal on the eastern bank and, accordingly, the increased load on the bridge, it became necessary to replace the pontoon bridge with a stronger and more reliable crossing.
Rialto is the very first bridge in Venice, connecting the banks of the Grand Canal
By the middle of the 13th century, a new bridge was erected over the Grand Canal - a drawbridge. It was designed in the form of an arch, the central part of which opened to allow ships to pass through. This bridge eventually became known as the Rialto Bridge.
The wooden structure was destroyed several times - first the bridge was damaged by fire, then it collapsed due to the fact that too many people gathered on it to watch the regatta.
Of course, the bridge was restored each time until they came to the conclusion that wood was not the most suitable material for this. In the middle of the 16th century, the Venetian authorities announced a design competition, the winner of which was the architect Antonio de Ponte. The Rialto Stone Bridge is a beautiful and reliable symbol of Venice that still serves people today.
Bridge of Sighs
Bridge of Sighs – small but very picturesque Venice bridge, connecting two buildings - the prison and, separated by the Palace Canal. Rio di Palazio, better known as the Bridge of Sighs, was built in 1602 by the architect Antonio Conti.
A rather massive stone bridge with walls and a roof is decorated with decorative elements made of marble, giving the structure some grace.
Bridge of Sighs, Venice
In the Middle Ages, convicts passed along this bridge, sighing at the sight of Venetian beauties, which they may have seen for the last time - in those days, few people returned from prison. One of these returnees was the famous Giacomo Casanova - the only person who managed to escape from prison.
Recently another legend appeared in Venice related to Bridge of Sighs. They say that if lovers sailing under a bridge on a gondola kiss, their feelings will be eternal and will survive any adversity. You just have to kiss at sunset!
Scalzi Bridge
Scalzi is one of four bridges located on the Grand Canal. This bridge, connecting the areas of Cannaregio and Santa Croce, was built in 1856 and, like many bridges of Venice, was almost immediately criticized for its small size, which prevented large ships from passing underneath it.
The Venetians also did not like the architectural appearance of the bridge, which, in their opinion, did not fit into the historical image of the city at all.
In 1934 Scalzi Bridge was reconstructed, the industrial-style iron structure was replaced by a graceful arched bridge made of stone. The author of the project was the architect Eugenio Mozzi: he managed to make the massive stone structure very light and elegant - the thickness of the upper part of the bridge does not exceed 80 centimeters thanks to a special masonry system.
The Scalzi Bridge is located next to the train station
The name of the bridge translates as “barefoot bridge.” According to one version, the name is associated with the Church of the Barefoot Carmelite Monks, located nearby - on the banks of the Grand Canal. On the other hand, with beggars, a large number of whom lived in the area of the bridge and walked across it barefoot.
The Scalzi Bridge is located very conveniently, in close proximity to the main transport hubs of Venice - and the bus station in Piazza Roma.
Academy Bridge
The Accademia Bridge connects the banks of the Grand Canal in the part of the city where the Accademia Gallery is located, famous for its magnificent collection of Venetian paintings, including works by famous masters - Tintoretto, Titian, Veronese.
The construction of the bridge was planned back in 1488, but due to the complexity of the design and insufficient funding, it was built only in 1854. Architect Alfred Neville chose metal as the main material, which, according to most townspeople, was too modern for this area of Venice.
In 1933, in place of the iron structure, a wooden bridge appeared, created according to the design of Eugenio Mozzi, the architect who designed the Scalzi Bridge. Later it was planned to replace the wooden bridge with a stone one, but these plans were never put into practice.
The Academy Bridge is a pedestrian bridge and its length is 48 meters
In 1985, the worn-out wooden structure was replaced with a new one, also made of wood. The new bridge became an exact copy of the previous one. From the top Academy Bridge There are magnificent views of the city and surrounding attractions.
Venice is called the most amazing city on Earth. The city consists of many islands that are connected to each other by more than four hundred bridges and footbridges. There are no roads, traffic lights or cars in Venice; instead, there are embankments, canals, gondolas and water buses. But since my blog is about, now we will talk about the bridges of Venice, or rather the most famous of them, which span two canals, the Palace Canal and the Grand Canal.
Bridges of Venice crossing the Palace Canal.
Straw Bridge (Ponte della Paglia)– built in 1360 and expanded in the 19th century. The bridge crosses the Palace Canal (Rio di Palazio) and is located to the left of the Palace of the Rains.
There are two versions of where the name Straw Bridge came from, either from the pier where ships bringing straw for the prison moored, or from the house of the straw merchant, which was located next to the bridge.
Straw Bridge
Bridge of Sighs(Ponte dei Sospiri), this is another small arch bridge built over the Palace Canal in the seventeenth century. I talked about it in more detail in the article.
Bridges of Venice over the Grand Canal.
Academy Bridge (Ponte dell'Accademia), is the southernmost of the four bridges in Venice that connect the banks of the Grand Canal.
The Academy Bridge received its name in honor of the art museum Academy Gallery, which is located in a former monastery. The bridge connects the San Marco area with the Accademia Galleries.
The bridge was built in 1854 as a steel structure and was reconstructed in the 1930s. The steel bridge was replaced by a temporary wooden bridge, which the townspeople really liked and had to leave it.
Due to severe wear and tear, the wooden Academy Bridge was demolished and a new bridge was built, preserving the structure and appearance of its predecessor.
Academy Bridge
Rialto Bridge the very first and oldest bridge across the Grand Canal. I talked more about this bridge in the article.
Scalzi Bridge (Ponte degli Scalzi), connecting the areas of Cannaregio and Santa Croce via the Grand Canal. The Scalzi Bridge has a second name - the Barefoot Bridge. According to one version, the bridge received this name because of the large number of beggars living in the area of the bridge. According to another more plausible version, through the name of the church of the barefoot Carmelite monks, which is located near the bridge. The modern bridge on this site was built in 1934.
Scalzi Bridge
That's all for today, about the rest, less known bridges of Venice, I’ll write sometime next time, and finally, a few more beautiful photos of Venice and its bridges.
My independent trip to Italy with a visit to the city on the water. The most famous Bridges and Canals of Venice in 1 day.
Narrow streets, ancient houses and churches, shops and cafes - everything is like in any other Italian city. But there is one main difference that makes Venice unique: the canals and bridges. They create an atmosphere of romance, which is why tourists come here.
There are a large number of bridges here and many have their own names, and if you delve into them, you can find a bridge for every occasion. If you want to take a breath, we are looking for the Bridge of Sighs, if you breathe in and want to kiss, then welcome to the Bridge of Kisses, and if you dreamed of something or want to spit over your shoulder, then run to the Bridge of Devils (Devil). And even just to get to Venice you have to cross the Freedom Bridge, but from which side this freedom should appear is unclear, because when you are in Venice, you are in its captivity, and when you left and crossed the bridge, you want to go back.
Bridges and Canals of Venice
The canals of Venice replace the road and public transport here instead of cars will be gondolas, boats and vaporettos. There are a lot of canals, and the most famous is the Grand Canal, which can be seen almost immediately as soon as you cross the Freedom Bridge (Ponte della Liberta) and enter the city by train or bus.
There are four bridges across the Grand Canal, one of them is the Bridge of the Constitution, which appeared quite recently in 2008, it connects the station with the Roman Square or Piazzale Roma. You will see this bridge first if you arrive in Venice by bus from the nearest town or somewhere else, because... this is the only place in Venice where vehicles on wheels can still stop.
If you cross the Constitution Bridge, you will get to the Railway Station and almost immediately you will see the second Scalzi Bridge - Ponte degli Scalzi. This is an older bridge from the 19th century; it is also called the Station Bridge.
From the bridge you can clearly see the train station and the Church of San Simeon Piccolo with an incredibly huge dome compared to the church itself. This dome even delighted Napoleon with its unusualness.
The length of the canal itself is 3800 meters and it is best to ride along it on some kind of water transport, and if you decide to walk along the streets, you will find approximately the following types of small streets and bridges.
The Rialto Bridge is considered the oldest bridge across the Grand Canal; it appeared in the 12th century in the form of a pontoon bridge, and it became a stone bridge in the 16th century. It is located at the narrowest point of the canal and connects the areas of San Polo and San Marco. Until the 19th century, the Grand Canal had no other bridges except the Rialto. On the day of my visit to Venice, the bridge was under restoration, and I was not able to capture the views from it.
Having crossed the Rialto Bridge, the largest crowd of tourists begins and the largest shopping streets appear, because a little further is St. Mark's Square with the most famous sights of Venice, which can be read about in my separate story.
The fourth bridge is the Academy Bridge, which is the southernmost of all. It was built in the 19th century and connects the areas of San Marco and Dorsoduro.
When you cross the Accademia Bridge from the side of San Marco, here you can see the Academy Museum, the Cathedral of Santa Maria della Salute and many other buildings, and if you go from the bridge without turning to the other side of the island and reach the big water, then on the other side there will be The Church of the Savior or Il Redentore can be seen.
These were the largest bridges and canals in Venice. In addition to them, the city has numerous narrow canals and small bridges. There is also a relatively large Cannaregio canal across which the rather famous and mentioned Bridge of Three Arches is thrown, but unfortunately I didn’t get here and there are no photographs. I'll try to compensate for this with a few more photos of the Grand Canal.
