The Bridges of Venice, the 'City of Bridges'

On August 22, I took a train from Trieste to Venice. The urban area of Venice is distributed across 118 small islands in the bay, connected by 177 waterways and over 400 bridges. Therefore, Venice is also known as the 'City of Bridges'. Upon arriving in Venice, the first things that catch your eye are the water and the bridges. Everywhere, pedestrians hurry across the bridges, and water transport is busy below. The bridges of Venice are diverse and varied in style; some are quaint and ancient, while others are small and exquisite. Notably, the Bridge of Sighs and the four bridges on the Grand Canal are particularly eye-catching. They not only form the wonders of this charming city but also tell the story of Venice's development. 1. Bridge of Sighs The most famous and highest bridge in Venice is the Bridge of Sighs. Built in 1603, it is a pedestrian bridge connecting two buildings, one symbolizing power (the Doge's Palace) and the other a prison. The bridge is enclosed and has an arcade shape, with two small windows. This bridge was the route prisoners took when being taken for trial. As they were escorted from the prison dungeons to the bridge, they could look out at the river and the sea through the windows, often sighing deeply. 2. Rialto Bridge 'Rialto' means 'raised' in Italian. The bridge is a single-span stone arch bridge made entirely of white Istrian stone (a lightweight stone similar to marble), also known as the 'White Elephant'. It is one of the four bridges on the Grand Canal and is considered the most magnificent, oldest, and most important bridge, thus regarded as a symbol of Venice. It is said to have been the longest low arch bridge in the world at the time. 3. Scalzi Bridge Named 'Scalzi Bridge' because one end connects to the Church of the Scalzi (Barefoot), it is the second stone arch bridge on the Grand Canal after the Rialto Bridge. Like the Accademia Bridge, it was designed by Italian engineer Eugenio Miozzi and completed around the same time in 1934. The gray-white Scalzi Bridge, with the green river below and the surrounding light pink or cream-colored buildings, creates a unique townscape. As it connects to the bus station near Piazzale Roma, the bridge is bustling with people daily, and Venetian vendors also showcase their skills on the bridge. 4. Constitution Bridge (Calatrava Bridge) The Constitution Bridge is named to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Italian Constitution. It is also known as the Calatrava Bridge, named after its designer, the renowned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. 5. One of the world-famous bridges in Venice is the Rialto Bridge (Ponte di Rialto), which spans the longest Grand Canal in Venice, with a total length of four kilometers.