Bridge of sights: all the secrets behind Venice’s most haunting bridge

The Bridge of Sighs in Venice ia a beautiful, white Istria's stone bridge and one of the most iconic monuments in town. The elegant Baroque arch that crosses one of Venice's many canals has a romantic vibes that enchants all the tourists. Navigating the canal in a gondola to pass underneath it is one of the most loved experiences by those who visit the city.

Today, the Bridge of Sighs in Venice, is indeed among the most photographed monuments in Italy, but many people don't know that it hides a dark past, to which it owes its name. Let's discover its long and fascinanting history.

The Bridge of Sighs is centrally located, just a few meter from St. Mark's Square and it's basically part of the Doge's Palace.

Built between 1600 and 1603, the Bridge of Sighs in Venice was designed by architect Antonio Contin, grandson of the "father" of another must see in the city, the Rialto Bridge.

It was Doge Marino Grimani who ordered its construction and indeed among the refined Baroque decorations on the bridge, you can also see the Doge's family coat of arms.

The purpose of the bridge was to provide a quick and safe connection between the Doge's Palace and the New Prisons, built outside the palace after a fire that destroyed the previous ones.

It's not easy to guess the dark past of this charming and romantic bridge, and even its name often seems a refernce to sighs of love. 

The history, instead, is quite differet from what many people may think. Almost completely closed, with just two small windows, the bridge that led to the city's jail is made of two corridors where the prisoners walked toward interrogation rooms in the Doge’s Palace, or to their prison cells, or even worse, their sentence, sighing at their last view of Venice. Sadly, their sighs had nothing to do with love.

It looks like Lord Byron, the famous English Romantic poet, was the one that helped more than anybody else to shape this place's legend, in the 19th century. After visiting Venice, the poet made a reference to the brige in his poem Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, using for the first time the evocative name of Bridge of Sighs, thus turning it into a symbol of lost freedom.

Since then the name stuck, and now it's famous all over the world.

An important symbol of Venice's past, but also of its elegance, the Bridge of Sighs is a must-see for anyone visiting the city.

This bridge is worth visiting not only for its beauty, but also for its historical and symbolic significance. Many stories are linked to the Doge's Palace and its bridge, including the escape of Giacomo Casanova, a famous 17th-century Venetian adventurer.

Imprisoned in the Doge's Palace, the daring Casanova managed to escape and described the episode in his memoirs.

Another reason to visit the Bridge of Sighs is linked to a modern legend. It is believed that two lovers who kiss while passing under the bridge will remain together forever, and in Italy's most romantic city, it's easy to believe this is true!

If you are in Venice you'll soon find out that there are so many wonderful things to see that counting them is close to impossible. This is a city that never stops to enchant and surprise, with the world famous monuments and the most beautiful hidden gems. 

Anyway, the Bridge of Sighs is in the very heart of Venice, so you'll very easily reach Piazza San Marco with all of its monuments, starting from the Basilica of San Marco, one of most stunning churches in Venice and in Italy.

The Doge Palace is also in the same square, together with the bell tower where you can climb and see the city from above.

The Correr Museum is here as well; it's one of the most important in town and hosts the works of important artists such as Canova, Bellini, Antonello da Messina and many more.

If you enjoy contemporary art, don't miss the Olivetti Showroom, still in the square, designed by Carlo Scarpa, one of the best italian architects of the XX century.

Finally, take a break at the historic Caffè Florian, one of the oldest in the city.

Visiting the Bridge of Sighs, once you arrived in Venice, is very simple.

Given its central location, it's easy to reach on foot from Piazza San Marco.

To reach both the square and the bridge from another district, you can take the ferry and get off at the San Zaccaria, Vallaresso, or Giardinetti stops.

Once you arrive, to see the Bridge of Sighs from the outside, simply go to the Ponte della Paglia, a short distance from Piazza San Marco, and to the opposite side, the Ponte della Canonica, where it's certainly less crowded.

The bridge can also be seen from the water, with a charming gondola ride.

To visit the inside, however,  you need to enter the Doge's Palace, one of the many attractions included in the Venice Pass. The access to the bridge is indeed within the palace and is part of the tour, which also includes the Prisons.

Please note that inside the building there are stairs or narrow passages that may cause some difficulty.