Ponte dei Sospiri (Bridge of Sighs), Venice
Despite its relatively small size compared to other bridges in Venice, the Bridge of Sighs holds great significance as one of the city's most renowned and frequently visited structures. Constructed in 1600, this historical landmark spans across the Palace River ("Rio di Palazzo"), connecting the New Prison ("Prigioni Nuove") to the interrogation rooms in the Doge's Palace ("Palazzo Ducale"). Crafted from white limestone, it was designed by Antonio Contino, whose uncle Antonio da Ponte was the mastermind behind the iconic Rialto Bridge.
The bridge acquired its English name, the Bridge of Sighs, in the 19th century, bestowed by Lord Byron as a translation of the Italian "Ponte dei sospiri". The name stems from the notion that prisoners would sigh as they glimpsed their final view of the enchanting city of Venice through the windows before being led to their cells. In reality, by the time the bridge was constructed, the days of inquisitions and summary executions were gone, and the cells beneath the palace's roof primarily held minor offenders. Furthermore, little could be seen from inside the bridge due to the stone grills covering the windows.
According to local legend, couples who share a kiss on a gondola beneath the Bridge of Sighs at sunset, accompanied by the chimes of Saint Mark's bell tower, are destined to experience eternal love and happiness.
The bridge acquired its English name, the Bridge of Sighs, in the 19th century, bestowed by Lord Byron as a translation of the Italian "Ponte dei sospiri". The name stems from the notion that prisoners would sigh as they glimpsed their final view of the enchanting city of Venice through the windows before being led to their cells. In reality, by the time the bridge was constructed, the days of inquisitions and summary executions were gone, and the cells beneath the palace's roof primarily held minor offenders. Furthermore, little could be seen from inside the bridge due to the stone grills covering the windows.
According to local legend, couples who share a kiss on a gondola beneath the Bridge of Sighs at sunset, accompanied by the chimes of Saint Mark's bell tower, are destined to experience eternal love and happiness.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Venice. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Ponte dei Sospiri (Bridge of Sighs) on Map
Sight Name: Ponte dei Sospiri (Bridge of Sighs)
Sight Location: Venice, Italy (See walking tours in Venice)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Venice, Italy (See walking tours in Venice)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Venice, Italy
Create Your Own Walk in Venice
Creating your own self-guided walk in Venice is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Venice Introduction Walking Tour
Although most experts agree that the Venetian lagoon emerged nearly 6,000 years ago, the area of today's Venice remained mostly uninhabited, except for a small population of fishermen, up until the 5th century AD when the hordes of Gothic barbarians, looting their way into Rome, drove many a people away from their homes on the mainland to take refuge on the coastal Venetian islands.
Those... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.1 Km or 2.5 Miles
Those... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.1 Km or 2.5 Miles
Jewish Ghetto Tour
Founded in 1516, the Jewish Ghetto in Venice was the oldest of its kind in all Europe. At the time, Venice received order from the Pope to expel all Jews from the city, but the Venetian government opted to lock them onto a small island in the district of Cannaregio. Since then this small area has been the center of Jewish life in Venice, with buildings rising vertically to accommodate the rising... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.4 Km or 0.2 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.4 Km or 0.2 Miles
Venice's Hidden Art Treasures
Among the first things springing to mind when talking about Venice, apart from the canals and gondolas, of course, is Art and Architecture. Indeed, Venice is one of the few cities in the world where Art and Architecture have merged in a stunning multiplicity of forms. The city is even renowned for its unique (Venetian) pictorial school famed by the likes of Tintoretto, Titian, Veronese, Castagno... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.6 Km or 2.2 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.6 Km or 2.2 Miles
Murano Island Walking Tour
Murano is often called the Glass Island, since it is home to the most impressive and renowned Venetian glass factories. The master craftsmen here have preserved their centuries-old techniques, and the island is full of shops where you can admire and purchase their adorable glass items. Some factories, such as Gino Mazzuccato’s, at the start of this self-guided walk, even have special showrooms... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles
Casanova's Venice
One of Venice's most famous personalities, Giacomo Casanova is remembered today as a womanizer, but was much more than that. Born in a family of theater actors in 1725, he came through as highly intellectual and very sharp from his very childhood, having become in his time an erudite scholar, a diplomat and spy, and a metropolitan ‘avant la lettre’, who frequented the high society and... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.5 Km or 2.8 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.5 Km or 2.8 Miles
Piazza San Marco Walking Tour
All of Venice’s roads seem to run into Piazza San Marco – the commercial, religious, and political heart of the city. With a glowing reputation as one of the finest squares in the world and arguably one of Europe’s primary tourist attractions, it certainly has a lot to offer to visitors.
Start your exploration with a tour of the pink-and-white marble Palazzo Ducale, which takes you... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.6 Km or 0.4 Miles
Start your exploration with a tour of the pink-and-white marble Palazzo Ducale, which takes you... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.6 Km or 0.4 Miles
Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip
15 Distinctively Italian Things to Buy in Venice
Venice has been a tourist mecca for over a century now, with millions of visitors flocking in every year to see this unique place on the face of the Earth. Many, if not all, of these people seek to obtain something memorable as a token of their stay in this city. By far, not all of them know which...