Bridge of Sighs

I stood in Venice, on the Bridge of Sighs,
A palace and a prison on each hand:
I saw from out the wave her structures rise
As from the stroke of the enchanter’s wand:
A thousand years their cloudy wings expand
Around me, and a dying Glory smiles
O’er the far times, when many a subject land
Looked to the winged Lion’s marble piles,
Where Venice sate in state, throned on her hundred isles!

~ (excerpt from Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage) Lord Byron

If the world ever had to pinpoint one region as being the romantic capital of the world, it would undoubtedly have to be Venice in Italy. Some of the most stunning architecture of the world is set amidst narrow and tight streets, which wind throughout the stretch of the city and run almost parallel to the coursing waters.

Built across the Palace River, or Palazzo Rio, is the Bridge of Sighs.

The History behind the Name:

Theory # 1 -

This bridge was created with the original purpose of connecting the interrogations rooms at Doge’s Palace to the Old Prisons. One theory that has tried to decode the reasoning behind this name of the bridge has suggested that when the prisoners would walk the bridge to get to the Old Prison on the other end, this Bridge would let them have their last glimpse of the outside world. The prisoners, most claim, would ‘sigh’ as they walked their last walk in the outside world and sometimes, their last walk in the real world. Some of them had executioners waiting for them on the other side.

Lord Byron, in his poem, Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage spoke about this final journey of the prisoners while he described the prison and palace on each side. A visit to the cells inside the Old Prison might still be able to show you some of the graffiti which had been done by the prisoners that these cells had housed over the years.

Legend has it that the most famous prisoner to walk this bridge was perhaps Casanova. He was arrested by the King’s men in the year 1755. He was accused of spreading an antireligious sentiment which was said to be spread over the entire republic which prided itself in being devoutly religious.

Theory # 2 –

The second theory claims that if a couple kisses when they’re right under this bridge, while floating in a gondola, they would enjoy eternal love. So many have believed that the ‘sighs’ emitting from love struck couples have given this bridge its name – the Bridge of Sighs.

The Construction:

The Bridge of Sighs makes for an extremely beautiful sight; as it stands perched high above the canal. It is renowned for being one of the finest examples when it comes to bridge architecture around the world.

Built in Italian Renaissance style, this bridge is around 11 m in width. It is entirely made up of white limestone. The construction on this bridge began in the year 1600 and was said to be completed within a time frame of 2 years.

The interior of this bridge is said to be divided into what are called two narrow passages. These get separated by a wall running between both of them. The grilled windows were the only outlet of light and air for the prisoners who walked this bridge to get from the Palace to the Prison on the other side. The bridge is said to be a tad short, which means the prisoners may have had to slouch while they walked through it.

As you pass under the Bridge in a gondola, watch out for the faces built under the bridge. Some of them are happy and the others sad.