Ponte Aleardi, Verona

The Aleardi Bridge, also called the Cemetery Bridge, spans the Adige River in Verona. It was built to link the city center and the new grand cemetery, which was established in 1828 by architect Giuseppe Barbieri following the Napoleonic edict of Saint Cloud, requiring burials outside city walls.

The bridge, completed in 1879, honors Aleardo Aleardi, a poet and patriot who died the year before. He strongly supported Italian independence from Austria, facing imprisonment twice. Later, he became a deputy and senator in the new Kingdom of Italy during the Risorgimento.

The first iron bridge, spanning 98 meters long and 5.5 meters wide, had four supports and five spans. It was destroyed in the 1882 flood when floating mills broke it. A new metal bridge, 9 meters wide, was built by the company, funded by toll payments. It opened on December 31, 1884, and tolls lasted until 1932, except for funeral processions.

Due to its inability to handle heavy vehicles beyond 15 quintals, the bridge, originally built without that capacity, faced replacement plans in 1939. The new design by engineers Zanolini and architect Zanmarchi featured a reinforced concrete structure with three arches, spanning 90 meters by 14 meters. Construction progress was hampered by technical challenges and halted in 1942 due to World War II. German forces later sabotaged a pier in 1945, but Allied engineers repaired it temporarily to maintain connectivity with Vicenza. Post-war reconstruction simplified the bridge while adding Valpolicella marble covering. Reopening on July 2, 1950, the bridge's significance remained intact.