The Bridge of Sighs, known as the Ponte dei Sospiri in Italian, is one of the most famous bridges not only in Venice, but in the world.
The bridge passes over the Rio di Palazzo and connects the Dogi Palace with the Prigioni, the prisons that were built across the canal in the late 16th century. But where does its name come from and why has this bridge become a symbol of romance in the modern era?
History and Architecture of the Bridge of Sighs
Antonio Contino designed and built the Bridge of Sighs in 1600. Although highly ornamental, constructed of white limestone with lattice screens covering two small rectangular windows, the walkway served a very practical purpose. It was used to carry prisoners from the examination rooms to their cells in the Prigioni.
Legend has it that the prisoners who crossed the bridge on their way to the prison cells or the execution chamber would sigh when they last saw Venice through the small windows. The bridge and its unforgettable name became particularly famous after the romantic poet Lord Byron mentioned it in his 1812 book “The Pilgrimage of Childe Harold”: “I stopped in Venice, on the Bridge of Sighs; a palace and a prison in each hand.
View from the Bridge of Sighs
The bridge legend, while well known, is incorrect: once someone is on the Bridge of Sighs, very little of Venice is seen from one end to the other. It is more plausible that the “sighs” were the last breaths of the prisoners in the free world because once in Dogi, there was little hope of their release.
To further challenge the legend, most historical accounts suggest that only low-level criminals were kept on the Prigioni, and the bridge was not even built until the Renaissance era in Italy, which was long after the inquisitions broke. become a thing of the past.
Romance and the bridge of sighs
The Bridge of Sighs has become a symbol of love in a city full of romance.
Access to the Bridge of Sighs is only available when booking the Itinerari Segreti, the Secret Itineraries tour. You can also get a closer look at its exterior by taking a gondola tour. And if you want to be especially romantic, take that gondola tour with your loved one.
It is said that if a couple in a gondola kiss as they pass under the bridge at sunset like the bells of Saint Mark, their love will last forever.
In addition to motivating many romantic gestures, the Bridge of Sighs has also inspired many architects, including the American Henry Hobson Richardson, known for his “Richardson Romanesque” style.
Pittsburgh Bridge of Sighs
When he began designing the Allegheny County Courthouse in Pittsburgh in 1883, Richardson created a replica of the Bridge of Sighs that connected the courthouse to the Allegheny County Jail. There was a time when prisoners were transported across this walkway, but the county jail moved to a separate building in 1995.
Pittsburgh is second only to Venice in number of bridges within city limits, so it’s fitting that Richardson’s best work (by his own estimation) emulates the Italian city’s most famous landmark.
