What is the name of the bridge in Venice. The most famous bridges in Venice. The bridges of Venice are masterpieces of design and architecture

If life really originated in water, then it undoubtedly happened in Venice - a city where the air consists of molecules and atoms of love and romance. Consisting of 122 islets, this city attracts lovers from different countries a huge number of bridges on which it is so sweet to kiss and take vows of eternal love.

Arsenal Bridge.

According to the superstition, for a marriage to be happy, the newlyweds must cross seven bridges. In this sense, newlyweds in Venice are especially lucky, because this city has more than 400 bridges! Each bridge is not only a way to cross from one bank to another, but a real work of art that has its own history.

The bridges of Venice are masterpieces of design and architecture

Constitution Bridge.

The oldest bridge in Venice is the Arsenale Bridge. This wooden structure connecting the two banks of the canal of the same name was erected in the 16th-17th centuries. And here Constitution Bridge in Venice is the youngest. It was built in 2008 in honor of the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the Basic Law in Italy. Bridge of the Constitution in Venice it might not have been, because with its modern design it disrupts the overall picture ancient city. However, its practical significance turned out to be more important than aesthetics, because it was thanks to the arch, spanning from one bank to the other, that the bus station and the Santa Lucia railway station were connected.

Academy Bridge.

No less important for residents Venice Academy Bridge. It received its name in honor of the Academy Gallery, the city’s art museum. It is along this bridge that you can get from the Gallery to the San Marco area. For residents of a city like Venice, Accademia Bridge is symbolic. Originally built as a steel structure, it was later renovated. A wooden bridge was temporarily installed, which the townspeople liked so much that it was decided to leave it that way.

Rialto Bridge.

Rialto Bridge in Venice, built back in the 14th-15th centuries, has experienced many adventures over the long history of its existence. It was destroyed and rebuilt several times, each time becoming more beautiful and more perfect. Until 1854, competitors Rialto Bridge in Venice there was none, since it was the only connecting link between the banks of the Grand Canal.

Despite its impressive dimensions (the length of the arch is 48 m and the width is 22 m), this bridge fits harmoniously into the surrounding landscape. It was originally built of wood, but numerous fires caused the wooden structure to be replaced with a stone one. The project was developed by the Italian architect Ponte, which translates as “bridge”. Today this bridge is a real symbol of Venice. Tourists from different countries love to walk and take pictures here.

Romance of Venice: Bridge of Sighs

Bridge of Sighs.

Bridge of Sighs in Venice connects the banks of the Palace Canal. Such a romantic name is not entirely appropriate, considering that Bridge of Sighs connects the premises of the old prison and the Doge's Palace. In former times, prisoners were taken along it. One version says that their bitter sighs, heard by city residents, were the reason why the bridge received such a name. However local population, and guests of Venice come here to spend the most romantic moments of their lives. One day Giacomo Casanova crossed this bridge, whom a happy accident spared him from imprisonment in a Venetian prison.

The bridge was built in Baroque style. The elegantly executed arched structure is decorated with stone bas-reliefs and the coat of arms of Doge Marino Grimani, who in the early 17th century commissioned the design of the bridge from the famous Venetian architect Antonio Contin.

Another name Bridge of Sighs took root among the people because it became a meeting place for lovers. In such a romantic city as Venice, Bridge of Kisses is incredibly popular because, according to local legend, a kiss at sunset under this bridge guarantees eternal love. IN Venice Bridge of Kisses considered one of the most mysterious and romantic places. This building aroused the envy and admiration of many architects and inspired them to create new masterpieces. Having visited Bridge of Sighs in Venice, we can consider that our acquaintance with the city has taken place.

Mysterious stories of Venetian bridges

To the left of the Doge's Palace, the Palace Canal is crossed by another bridge, the Straw Bridge. This name is explained by the fact that it was here that straw was brought for the prisoners of the prison. It was built back in 1360. In the 19th century it underwent significant reconstruction. This bridge is very popular among both tourists and local residents, as it offers magnificent views of the Palace Canal and the Doge's Palace.

Each bridge in this amazing city is unique in its own way and has its own mysterious history. Having passed through centuries and preserved the memory of millennia, the bridges of Venice are still full of mysteries and secrets that every tourist who visits this amazing city dreams of solving.

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, but 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 railway station city ​​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 passed through it.

Although this Freedom Bridge (Ponte della Liberta) does not stand out for anything special, be it interesting story or something else, from the community of its brothers located in Venice, it is still unique for the city in that it connects it with the mainland, namely the Mestre district. 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 on it 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 quite sad story. 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 translated from Italian language translated 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, because straw was definitely not the material used to create it. The graceful Straw Bridge has its own history. Locals They 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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The Academy Bridge was opened to pedestrians on February 19, 1933 as a temporary structure. But, as you know, there is nothing more permanent than temporary - for 80 years it has connected the San Marco area and the Academy of Fine Arts Gallery.

The need to build a bridge was first discussed back in 1488, but almost four hundred years passed before words were put into action. There were long debates about where exactly to connect the banks, in what way - a bridge or a tunnel, until in 1852 they accepted the proposal of engineer Alfred Neville, taking into account his extensive experience in this area. Two years later, a bridge with one horizontal metal span 50 meters long appeared, the only one of its kind in Italy. Despite the obvious amenities that the new bridge brought to the townspeople, it caused mixed reactions. Its structures, reminiscent of industrial ones, did not fit into the historical appearance of the area. In the end, it was decided to replace it with stone. In anticipation of the new construction, the Neuville Bridge was dismantled, and a wooden one was erected in its place in just 37 days. Now the Academy Bridge has turned into a light arched structure 48 meters long.

On both sides of the bridge steps lead to its central horizontal platform. The metal handrails are hung with locks - this is how lovers all over the world try to symbolically seal their feelings. The Venetian authorities are doing their best to combat this tradition, but padlocks appear again and again. Climbing up highest point bridge, do not forget to turn 360 degrees around yourself - a lot of attractions will come into your field of vision.

Bridge of Sighs

Bridge of Sighs - ancient arch bridge, located in Venice, Italy. The bridge is very beautiful and is very popular among tourists.

The Bridge of Sighs spans the Palace Canal. It connects the Doge's Palace, where the city court used to be located, and the building of the former Venetian prison. The bridge got its name precisely because of the sad sighs of convicted criminals who were sent to serve their sentences.

However, despite sad story origin of the name, the architecture of the bridge cannot be called gloomy. The Bridge of Sighs was built in 1602 under the direction of the architect Antonio Conti, who richly decorated his creation with Baroque carvings and white marble. The bridge looks very light and airy.

Today the Bridge of Sighs is one of the most romantic sights of Venice and most popular place for dates. According to local legends, a couple in love who kissed on this bridge will never break up. In addition, the Bridge of Sighs is especially loved by tourists - it is truly very beautiful, and rarely does any excursion around the city complete without visiting it.

Bridge of Saint Moses

The Bridge of St. Moses is interesting, first of all, for its location. It is the link between Calle Larga XXII and the square in front of the Cathedral of San Mois.

This bridge is one of the oldest in Venice. Under its curved arch lies perhaps the busiest pier, where gondolas dock and depart without interruption. Despite the fact that the place here is quite narrow, the gondoliers steer their boats with enviable dexterity, avoiding collisions. The bridge is constantly crowded with tourists, filming this “Brownian motion” in photos and videos.

If, standing on the bridge, you turn towards Piazza San Marco, you will see the magnificent façade of a 14th-century Baroque church. The church bears the name of Saint Moses, as does the bridge next to it. The number of stone decorations on the facade of the cathedral cannot be counted or described - this is how the sculptor Enrico Meiring wanted to emphasize the enormous wealth of the Fini family, by whose order the cathedral was rebuilt. If you photograph the cathedral while standing on the bridge, you can capture the entire facade.

On the opposite side of the bridge, Calle Larga XXII Marzo begins. Lovers of quality and fashionable things flock here. The street is filled with boutiques of the world's most famous brands. It can be considered the most popular shopping street in Venice.

Rialto Bridge

The Rialto Bridge is the oldest bridge that connects the two banks of the Grand Canal in Venice. The Rialto is also one of the most famous and popular attractions in Venice. Initially, the banks of the canal were connected by wooden bridges, but after several destructions, in 1591 the bridge was erected in stone.

The design of the bridge required that it be able to support the retail shops that could be located under its arcades. As a result, the bridge turned out to be not only durable, but also beautiful, still decorating the city. The length of the bridge arch is 28 meters, the maximum height on the water is 7.5 meters. There are 24 souvenir shops on the bridge. It is best to view the bridge in detail from the water, and from the bridge itself it opens beautiful view to the city.

Straw Bridge

Ponte della Paglia - Straw Bridge - is one of the oldest bridges Venice. The date of its construction is considered to be 1360. Despite its name, it is not made of straw at all, but of strong Istrian stone.

There are several versions of the origin of the name of this bridge. The most reliable is the following: barges with straw moored near this place, which, mixed with clay, was widely used by the poor as a material for roofs. In addition, there were stables nearby, where straw was also needed. Historical documents and decrees were found in the archives that prohibited the unloading of straw bales here due to frequent fires. One way or another, the historical name has survived to this day.

In the Middle Ages, there were sentry booths on both sides of the bridge. They checked everyone who crossed the bridge, and also controlled trade and the payment of taxes to the city treasury.

Straw Bridge - attractive Observation deck for tourists. From here you have an excellent view of the gloomy Palace Canal and its main attraction - the Bridge of Sighs. And on the other side, you will see a magnificent picture of the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute, standing on the opposite bank of the Grand Canal.

Bareteri Bridge

The Bareteri Bridge may not be the most outstanding in size and design on the list of bridges in Venice, but it has some special charm that attracts tourists here.

If you walk along the ancient Venetian streets, don’t be lazy to find this small a stone bridge, which connects the streets Merceria San Zulian and Merceria del Capitello. The name of the bridge is not particularly poetic - translated it means Hatters' Bridge, since masters of making hats have long worked in this area.

Just one span, ten stone balusters in the balustrade on each side - it seems nothing special. But it’s worth stopping in the middle of the bridge, looking around, and you will see the same textbook Venice as we imagine it. A narrow canal separates one row of houses from another. It seems that if you stretch out your hand, you will reach the opposite balcony. There are traditional shutters on the windows, bright geraniums on the window sills. Everything here remains the same as it was in the Middle Ages. And the bridge itself looks somehow fabulous, from the era of noisy Venetian carnivals.

By the way, you can see from the bridge secret passage V former house the all-powerful prosecutor of Venice Marco Venier (now French Cultural Center). They say that the frivolous wife of the prosecutor took her young lovers to this house during carnivals. Under the Bareteri Bridge, a gondola always stood ready, ready to save the next gentleman from the wrath of his deceived husband.

Constitution Bridge

The Pont de la Constitution is the newest bridge on the Grand Canal. Created at the beginning of the 21st century, it clearly challenges traditional Venetian bridges with its constructivist appearance.

The author of the project was the famous Spanish architect and artist Santiago Calatrava. Knowing his previous works, one could assume that this project would be completely original. And Calatrava did not disappoint: using glass as one of the main materials in the construction of the bridge is a very bold decision.

The main arc-shaped structure is made of heavy-duty steel. But the parapets and steps are made of tempered glass. The parapets are framed with bronze handrails, in which lighting lamps are mounted. The arc length of the bridge is 94 meters. Starting on the bank with a width of 5.58 meters, in the central part the bridge widens to almost 10 meters. This, by the way, is very convenient for tourists: those who stopped to take photographs or just enjoy the view of the beautiful Venetian palazzo, do not interfere with other pedestrians. At night, the bridge is illuminated from the ground. Light, penetrating through the glass surfaces, creates a bizarre glow, turning the bridge into an almost unearthly object.

Freedom Bridge

The Liberty Bridge, starting in 1933, connected Venice with the mainland by highway. Until this moment, the only way to get into the city was by railroad.

First railroad bridge for communication with the mainland, it was built back in 1846, when Venice was part of the Austrian Empire. The railway line laid along it ended at the Venetian Santa Lucia station.

The twentieth century brought unprecedented development road transport, and in 1931 the Italian engineer Eugenio Miozzo proposed to reconstruct and expand the railway bridge, making it suitable for the movement of cars. In 1933, during the reign of Benito Mussolini, the proposed project was implemented under the name Ponte Littorio. Thus, a completely new bridge emerged, which, after the end of World War II, was quite naturally renamed the Freedom Bridge.

The total length of the bridge is almost 4 kilometers. Traffic along it is carried out in two lanes in each direction. In addition, there are bicycle and walking paths. The bridge leads to Piazza Roma, where there is a huge parking lot for cars and buses. To get from here to the historical part of Venice, you should take the water bus.

Three Arches Bridge

The Rio de Cannaregio, the canal connecting the lagoon and the Grand Canal, is crossed by only two bridges: the Gullier Bridge (Bridge of Spires) and the superb Bridge of Three Arches. The latter is the only structure of this type that has survived in Venice to this day.

The history of the bridge, as often happens, began with a simple wooden structure that connected the two banks. In 1533, the wood that had fallen into disrepair was replaced with stone, but even then it was just a utilitarian structure, devoid of any outstanding architectural features.

The bridge we see today was built in 1688 by Andrea Tiralli. Its unusual design with three arches of different sizes was borrowed by the architect from sketches by the famous Renaissance painter and graphic artist Jacopo de Barbari. Initially, the bridge was named after St. Job, due to its location next to the cathedral of the same name.

Three bridge spans rise above the canal: a high one in the center, two smaller ones on the sides. They share water surface into three parts, so that only small boats can pass under the bridge. Historians have expressed the opinion that the Three Arches Bridge was created in this form to make it difficult for large enemy ships to access the city through the Cannaregio Canal. However, the version that sounds more plausible is that the choice was dictated by simple mathematical calculations, which made it possible to create a durable structure while maintaining the grace of its lines.

Ponte delle Guglie

The only bridge in Venice decorated with turrets on both sides is the Ponte delle Guglie. It spreads over the Canareggio Canal, near its confluence with the Grand Canal.

The first wooden bridge on this site was built back in 1285, but in 1580 it was replaced by a stone one. In 1641 and 1677, the bridge underwent reconstruction, and it took on its final form in 1823, when two white spiers appeared on both sides, erected on a stone parapet. Then the bridge got its modern name Guglie, meaning spire. Until this moment it was called Canaregio.

The bridge's carved balustrade, railings and frame of the span over the water are painted white, which harmonizes perfectly with the main brickwork. The bridge is decorated with two coats of arms of Doge Pasquale da Ponte and stone masks of either fabulous animals or satyrs. In 1987, the bridge underwent a new renovation to ensure accessibility for people with disabilities.

Scalzi Bridge

The Scalzi Bridge is one of four bridges that span the Grand Canal. Its appearance is associated with the construction of the Santa Lucia railway station in the area.

The bridge was built during the reign of the Habsburgs, so it is not surprising that the author of the project was an Austrian engineer. Like the Academy Bridge, it was built by Alfred Neuville. Both bridges were designed in an industrial style, without the slightest hint of matching the beautiful Venetian buildings. Apparently, Neville, a man with Austrian roots, was guided only by the principles of rationality during construction. It is not surprising that both the Academy Bridge and the Scalzi Bridge caused complete rejection among the townspeople.

Via Garibaldi on the map of Venice de Barbari 1500

How many bridges in Venice ? - a question that tourists often ask the guide. It may surprise some that this issue is also the subject of debate among the Venetians. What do we really call a bridge? in Venice ? Calle Garibaldi, for example, is just a bridge for some. After all, until the beginning of the 19th century it was called Rio di Castello . The canal was not completely filled in. Rather, the street is located above a canal hidden in a pipe, and when walking along this street, you are, in principle, walking along a bridge.

Sometimes we count private bridges, and sometimes we forget about them. After all, a private bridge can always be added or removed at the behest of the owner and permission from the authorities.

Twice a year, to mark the end of the plague in the 16th and 17th centuries, the Venetians build pontoon bridges: across the Grand Canal to the Basilica della Salute and across the Giudeca Canal to the Redentore Church.

The life of the city is closely connected with bridges. When it rises high water , taxi drivers and gondoliers often cannot pass under bridges. I remember a unique incident that was remembered by every tourist from the group 3 years ago. During the excursion, our group was asked to help a “cargo” boat pass under a bridge. About 30 people climbed into the boat. Under the load of tourists, the “truck” sank, we bent down strongly, and... lo and behold, the boat calmly sailed under the bridge.

For 40 years now, every spring in Venice there has been a “game” of strange name Up and down bridges. Thousands of people arm themselves with a map of the city and run along a pre-planned route, indeed up and down the bridges. April 16, 2016 You can also take part in this game. (Record on the website www.suezo.it)

And how Venetians love to look at old photographs and look for wooden bridges that were located not so long ago throughout the city. For example, the wooden bridge “de le Cadenet” was raised every time the Arsenal shipbuilding Venice shipyard , ships came in. Now it has changed its name and in the second half of the 19th century it turned into a stone bridge near Maritime Museum city, but we can often meet a Venetian who continues to call the bridge in the old way, remembering that they raised the wooden bridge with chains, hence the ancient name of the bridge: catene - chains.

Thanks to the painting by Victor Carpaccio, we know what the famous wooden drawbridge looked like Rialto Bridge in the commercial heart of the city. I invite you to . Looking at the cycle of paintings Miracle of the Cross V Galleries of the Academy, we find medieval Venice and miracle bridges on the canvases of famous vedutists of the 15th century.

Venice turned into a peninsula after the Austrians built a bridge in the mid-19th century that connected the mainland and the city on the water. But here’s the question: we will count this bridge, recalculating bridges of Venice ?

Despite the fact that tourists often try to find a bridge of love, we will not find one in the city of lovers, as Venice is sometimes called. Of course, after hearing about Bridge of Sighs , many people think about love. But the name of the bridge is associated with a visit Lord Byron's Venice . With his light hand (or with his light tongue), the bridge of prisons - that is the name of the corridor connecting the Doge's palace with the prisons of the 16th century - turned into Bridge of Sighs . Byron wrote that it was on the bridge that the prisoners sighed for the last time on the way to prison. And yet, tourists are perplexed, where do they kiss in Venice? The correct answer is everywhere! And if someone prefers to kiss only on the bridge, then Venice for this ideal city. Choose any of the bridges and kiss to your health!

You can order any from me and I guarantee you many more interesting facts(not myths for tourists) about the life and history of amazing Venice.

Venice is called the most amazing city on the ground. The city consists of many islands that are connected to each other by more than four hundred bridges and footbridges. In Venice there are no roads, traffic lights and cars, instead of them 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.

Venice bridges 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.

Through heavy wear and tear, wooden bridge The Academy was demolished and with the preservation of the structure and appearance predecessor, a new bridge was built.

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 through a large number of poor people 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. Modern bridge was built on this site 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 Venice and its bridges.