{"id":3855,"date":"2020-02-07T15:15:22","date_gmt":"2020-02-07T15:15:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ulysses.travel\/the-rialto-bridge-venice\/"},"modified":"2024-07-22T14:56:35","modified_gmt":"2024-07-22T14:56:35","slug":"the-rialto-bridge-venice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ulysses.travel\/en\/the-rialto-bridge-venice\/","title":{"rendered":"The Rialto Bridge in Venice"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Among the 438 bridges in Venice, there’s one that’s truly unique: the Rialto Bridge (Ponte di Rialto)!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Follow the guide!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83d\udca1 Insider Tips<\/strong> \ud83d\udca1 <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83c\udf1f Top tip:<\/strong> Free guided city tour<\/a> (in English)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udca4 Accommodations:<\/strong> all our tips & recommendations <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83c\udfdb Plan Your Trip:<\/strong> the complete guide to Venice<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udc76 Visiting Venice with Kids:<\/strong> all our best tips<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Brief history of the Rialto Bridge<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The origins of the Rialto Bridge<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Located in the current sestiere<\/em> (district) of San Polo, on the left bank of the Grand Canal<\/a>, the Rialto neighborhood became the economic center of the City of the Doges as early as the 11th century. The Venice market was established there in 1097, followed by shops, warehouses, and even the city’s first banks and insurance companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But soon, a major problem arises: while the economic center of Venice is situated on the left bank of the Grand Canal, the political center of the city is on the opposite bank, in the current sestiere<\/em> of San Marco \u2014 where the Doge’s Palace<\/a> (and the Bridge of Sighs<\/a>) and St. Mark’s Basilica<\/a> are located. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus, in 1172, the first\nbridge spanning the Grand Canal was constructed: the Rialto Bridge was born.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Rialto Bridge before the 16th century<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Far from its current appearance,\nthe first Rialto Bridge was actually just a series of barges and boats\nplaced side by side and topped with wooden planks. Whenever a boat needed to pass,\nthe planks had to be removed and the barges separated\nto create an opening. This makeshift solution was\nfar from ideal! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, in 1264, a wooden bridge\nwas built to connect the two sides of the Grand Canal. Although better than\nthe first, this option was also not perfect. The bridge suffered from humidity\n(causing its structure to rot) and fires, requiring\nregular restorations. In 1444, a part of the bridge even collapsed under the\nweight of the crowd gathered to witness the passage of the wedding gondola\nof the Marquise of Ferrara. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bridge was rebuilt in wood,\nbut this time it included two rows of shops and a movable section\nthat could be raised to allow boats to pass. However, this new\nconstruction quickly deteriorated, forcing the Venetian leaders\nto consider a more solid and durable solution. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Wooden
Wooden Rialto Bridge, Vittore Carpaccio – Venice Dell’Accademia Gallery<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Rialto Bridge after the 16th century<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In 1551, the Venetian Senate finally decided\nto replace the wooden bridge with a stone construction. The greatest\narchitects of the time \u2014 including Palladio, Sansovino, and even Michelangelo\n\u2014 were invited to submit designs for the new Rialto\nBridge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the end,\nit was the aptly named Antonio da Ponte whose proposal caught the Senate’s attention.\nConstruction began in 1588 and lasted three years. In 1591, the Rialto Bridge as\nwe know it today was finally completed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For three centuries, until the\nconstruction of the Academy Bridge (Ponte dell\u2019Accademia<\/em>) and the\nScalzi Bridge (Ponte degli Scalzi<\/em>) in the 19th century, the Rialto Bridge remained\nthe only pedestrian crossing over the Grand Canal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Rialto<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A Thorough Restoration<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

From May 2015 to December 2016, the Rialto Bridge underwent 18 months of intensive renovation. It was given a new lease on life and is now as good as new (or almost)! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visiting the Rialto Bridge <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Architecture of the Rialto Bridge<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Recognizable by its arch-like silhouette,\nthe Rialto Bridge is a true\narchitectural feat. Built on marshy ground, the bridge rests on no\nfewer than 6,000 pilings. It measures 48 meters (157 ft) in length, 22 meters (72 ft) in width, and\nrises to a height of 7.5 meters (24.5 ft). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bridge comprises three pedestrian\nwalkways: <\/p>\n\n\n\n