{"id":3881,"date":"2020-02-09T12:40:50","date_gmt":"2020-02-09T12:40:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ulysses.travel\/bridge-of-sighs-venice\/"},"modified":"2024-07-22T14:48:03","modified_gmt":"2024-07-22T14:48:03","slug":"bridge-of-sighs-venice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ulysses.travel\/en\/bridge-of-sighs-venice\/","title":{"rendered":"The Bridge of Sighs in Venice"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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A true symbol of Venice, the Bridge of Sighs is a must-see for any visitor to the Serenissima.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri in Italian) conjures up images of romantic moonlit gondola rides, its history is much darker and more somber than it seems!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Follow Captain Ulysses on a journey to discover this iconic monument of the City of Doges.<\/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

A Brief History of the Bridge of Sighs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Origins of the Bridge of Sighs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Until the\n16th century, Venice\u2019s prisons (nicknamed “The Leads” due to\ntheir location under lead roofs) were inside the\nDoge’s Palace. But as the population grew and crime\nincreased, the palace\u2019s prisons became overcrowded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To accommodate the growing number of prisoners, a new prison (nicknamed “The Wells”) was built next to the Palace, across the small canal called Rio de la Canonica<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To\nconnect this new building to the Palace, architects Antonio Contino di\nBernardino and Antonio Da Ponte\u2014the architect of the Rialto Bridge\u2014designed\na fully enclosed bridge in 1602: the Bridge of Sighs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Is It Called the Bridge of Sighs? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The\nfamous “sighs” associated with the bridge are those of the condemned as\nthey crossed it from the Doge’s Palace, where they were judged, to “The Wells,”\nthe prisons where they would serve their sentences. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The small barred windows of the bridge offered prisoners a final glimpse of Venice before entering the darkness of their cells. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Bridge of the Condemned to Bridge of Lovers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Given the grim origin of its name, how did the Bridge of Sighs become a romantic rendezvous spot in Venice?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blame it partly on English poet Lord Byron, who wrote about the Bridge of Sighs in the 1810s: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I stood in Venice, on the Bridge of Sighs,
A Palace and a prison on each hand:
I saw from out the wave her structures rise
As from the stroke of the enchanter’s wand.

Lord Byron – Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lord\nByron\u2019s romantic imagery has endured for centuries, reshaping\nthe bridge’s reputation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visiting the Bridge of Sighs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Exterior of the Bridge of Sighs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The\nbest view of the Bridge of Sighs is from the Ponte della Paglia<\/em> (Bridge of Straw) on the Riva\n degli Schiavoni<\/em>\n(the promenade along St. Mark\u2019s Basin). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be prepared\nfor crowds,\nas this iconic spot is always\nbusy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alternatively, take a gondola ride<\/strong><\/a><\/mark> along the Rio de la Canonica<\/em> and pass under the bridge for a unique perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nbaroque Bridge of Sighs is\nmade of white Istrian stone and marble. Tt\u2019s the only fully enclosed bridge in Venice,\ndesigned to prevent prisoners from escaping by jumping into\nthe canal below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nbas-reliefs on the bridge\u2019s sides depict a personification of\njustice and the coat of arms of Doge Marino Grimani (the 89th<\/sup> Doge\nof Venice). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Bridge<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Interior of the Bridge of Sighs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Access to the interior of the Bridge of Sighs is included with a ticket to the Doge’s Palace. For more information, check out Captain Ulysses’s detailed article on the Palace.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Much\nmore austere (not to say sinister) than the exterior, the inside of the bridge\nis divided into two corridors separated by a wall, allowing\nprisoners to pass without seeing each other. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nfour small barred windows offer views of the Venetian lagoon\nand the island of San Giorgio Maggiore in the distance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Inside<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Practical Information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tickets for the Bridge of Sighs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Access to the interior of the Bridge of Sighs is included with a ticket to the Doge’s Palace. This ticket also includes entry to the Correr Museum, the National Archaeological Museum, and the Biblioteca Marciana, all located in St. Mark\u2019s Square. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prices are as follows: <\/p>\n\n\n\n