Italy abridged
Some bridges are national and international icons, most are architecturally elegant, all are different and many have an interesting story to tell.
Story by Keith Hall
In Italy you are likely to cross many bridges, but may not pay much attention to them. Given that many are in already spectacular, scenic locations, or seem to just be part of the street you are exploring, it would be easy to overlook them. Of course there are some notable exceptions that are destinations in themselves. Most visitors to Venice make a point of visiting the Rialto Bridge and the romantically named Bridge of Sighs. Florence and Rome also have their fair share of famous structures spanning rivers, canals and streams.
Venice is undoubtedly the best place in Italy for bridge lovers as there are about 800 over the canals that criss-cross the city. The oldest and most famous, the 16th century Rialto Bridge, is an instantly recognisable icon of Venice. Its unique, arched porticos rise steeply above the Grand Canal. Until the 19th century it was the only bridge that crossed the Grand Canal.
The Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri) crosses the Rio di Palazzo, a small canal that runs off the Grand Canal. It was built in 1602 by a nephew of the architect who built the Rialto Bridge.
This small, enclosed bridge linked the old prison with the interrogation rooms in the Doge’s Palace. The bridge was given its name in the 19th century by the English Romantic poet, Lord Byron, who said it referred to the sighs of prisoners taking their last look at Venice.
This is a good story, but shouldn’t be taken too seriously as Byron’s knowledge of history was slightly flawed. The bridge was built well after the Inquisition and was mostly used for minor criminals. A more romantic story is the local legend that a couple who kiss on a gondola at sunset under the bridge will be granted everlasting love.
After you have visited the Rialto and the Bridge of Sighs, there are still about 798 more bridges to see in Venice. Some are fairly well known, like the wooden Accademia Bridge and the new Constitution Bridge near the railway station, built of concrete, steel and glass. But, there are many more relatively unknown bridges with colourful histories and names. Finding them can be a challenge, but wandering around the streets and alleys of Venice is a rewarding pastime anyway.
One oddly named Venetian bridge is Ponte Tetta, literally the Bridge of Breasts. You might guess that the name comes from the shape of the arch in the bridge or the stone ornamentation. But in fact, this bridge used to be on the edge of the bawdy red light district of Venice. Today it all looks prim and proper, but the name has survived.
Another interestingly named Venetian bridge is the Ponte del Purgatorio, near the Arsenal. The name Purgatory Bridge refers to the fact that the poet Dante visited the Arsenal which was a huge shipyard. The sight of the workers sweating over vats of boiling tar inspired his vision of the seventh circle of Hell in the Inferno section of his epic poem, the Divine Comedy. With a little searching you can also find a Hell Bridge and a Paradise Bridge. And, if you want to see many interconnected bridges in one location, head to the opposite side of Venice for Fondamenta dei Tre Ponti (Three Bridges). Despite the name, there are more than three bridges criss-crossing the junction of several canals, not far from the station.
Moving on from Venice, you can see another unusual and iconic bridge in Florence. Ponte Vecchio, the Old Bridge, is a 14th century stone bridge across the River Arno. The most striking feature of this historic bridge is the multi-level stores lining both sides. Since the 16th century, traditionally only goldsmiths and jewellers have been allowed to do business here. Hidden on top is part of Vasari’s Corridor, the one kilometre long enclosed walkway which connects the Palazzo Vecchio and the Pitti Palace. This bridge looks good at any time of the day, but is especially striking when it is illuminated after dark.
Rome’s most famous bridge is Ponte Sant’Angelo, which crosses the Tiber at Castel Sant’Angelo near the Vatican. This impressive, marble-faced bridge dates back to the second century. Now a pedestrian footbridge and adorned with large 17th century sculptures of angels, the Ponte Sant’Angelo is also especially striking after dark when both the bridge and the castle are illuminated.
The Ponte Fabricio which dates from 62 BC spans the Tiber on the northeast side of Isola Tiberina, one of the islands in the Tiber. It is the oldest bridge in Rome that has survived in its original state.
You might think that the smaller towns in Italy couldn’t compete with all these spectacular bridges, but in fact they also have some real gems. The town of Rimini on the Adriatic coast has a Roman bridge that is known as the Tiberius Bridge. It was completed in 21 AD during the reign of Tiberius and still carries traffic. And in the elliptical park of Prato della Valle in Padova, there are several bridges across ornamental lakes surrounded by even more sculpture than at Ponte Sant’Angelo.
The Umbrian hill town of Spoleto has two amazing bridges. In the lower part of the town there is the grimly named Ponte Sanguinario, or Bridge of Blood. This is a Roman bridge from the first century BC and is now accessed down a staircase beneath Piazza della Vittoria. According to tradition, the name comes from the blood of Christians who were persecuted in the town’s amphitheatre.
On the higher ground in Spoleto you can also see Ponte delle Torri, a dramatic 13th century aqueduct that crosses a deep valley on tall pylons. This spectacular bridge impressed Goethe when he visited Spoleto in 1786. A plaque near the bridge quotes the German writer’s impressions, taken from his landmark travel book “Italian Journey.”
In nearby Perugia there is another ancient aqueduct that was built in 1254 and brought water into central Perugia from 3km away. In the 19th century it was converted into a walkway, so now you can walk along part of the aqueduct looking down on the streets and houses below.
In the Italian Riviera town of Albenga there is a very strange bridge. Known as Pontelungo (Long Bridge), this 13th century bridge runs above a flat field beside a road. The bridge was originally built across a river, but the river inconveniently changed course shortly after construction was completed. Today it is just a slightly elevated footpath.
As well as all these different bridges, you will find grim medieval drawbridges on many castles, impressive viaducts which give access to hill towns for cars and pedestrians and many more. Each bridge has a story and there is often a plaque with more information. Sometimes you will find that the bridge you are crossing doesn’t just go to another place; it gives a glimpse back in time to a bygone era.