Bridge of Sighs

One of the most beautiful legends and bridges in Venice

The Bridge of Sighs is one of the most famous and photographed symbols of Venice. Located a few steps away from Piazza San Marco, the bridge connects the Doge's Palace to the Prigioni Nuove.

Known today as the bridge of love, it was originally the bridge that prisoners crossed before being locked up in the Venetian prisons and from which, sighing, they could see the sunlight for the last time. According to a popular legend, the name Bridge of Sighs was first used by the English poet Lord Byron.

It was built in the early 1600s, by the architect Antonio Contin, when Doge Marino Grimani ordered it be built to connect the prison with the Court halls. The Bridge of Sighs is made entirely of white Istrian stone in perfect Baroque style and at its center it is possible to admire the coat of arms of the family of Doge Grimani. Entirely enclosed, it consists of two narrow and separated corridors designed as best as possible to prevent any possible prisoner escape.

Thanks to the guided tour, when touring the Doge’s Palace and the Prisons, it is also possible to visit the interior of the bridge, finding yourself in the year 1600 for a moment.