The Bridge of Sighs: the symbol of Venice that attracts millions of tourists
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The Bridge of Sighs is one of the most famous monuments in Venice. It is located in the historic centre of the city and crosses the Rio di Palazzo, a small canal that runs near St Mark's Square. The bridge is much photographed and every year attracts a large number of tourists from around the world.
The bridge was built between 1600 and 1602 to a design by the architect Antonio Contin. It connects the Doge's Palace, where the offices of the government of the Republic of Venice were located, with the new prisons. It has an enclosed, covered structure with two small windows, and its style is Baroque. For this reason, it is considered an important example of Venetian architecture of that period.
The name of the bridge is linked to a romantic legend. According to tradition, prisoners would sigh while looking at the city's landscape for the last time before entering their cells. This idea became popular in the nineteenth century, especially thanks to the English writer Lord Byron, who made the bridge famous in European literature. Historians, however, explain that the name spread only later and that the bridge did not have a romantic function.
Today the Bridge of Sighs is part of the cultural heritage of Venice, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The monument can be admired both from the outside, from the Ponte della Paglia, and from inside the Doge's Palace, where it is also possible to visit the part of the old prisons. For many visitors, the bridge represents one of the most recognisable images of Italy.
Sources: Aurora Desio
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