Description

Essentials about the Rialto Bridge in brief

It is one of the landmarks of Venice and one of the most famous bridges in the world: the Rialto Bridge. Built at the end of the 16th century, the Rialto Bridge was the only fixed link across the Grand Canal for almost 300 years. No visit to Venice should end without walking across this bridge, which is so unique. Admittedly, the Rialto Bridge is overrun day after day by veritable armies of tourists. Nevertheless, the view of the Grand Canal and the many palaces on its banks from above is definitely one of the most beautiful and unique in the world.

The location and architecture of the Rialto Bridge

The bridge has a length of 48 meters, a width of 22 meters and a clearance height of 7.5 meters. The foundations of the two abutments consist of pile grids with 6,000 driven wooden piles on each side. Located next to the Fondaco dei Tedeschi, the bridge connects the Venetian districts of San Marco and San Polo at a neuralgic point. The name of the bridge refers to the Rialto area of San Polo, which was the city’s main trading center several centuries ago. Rialto derives from Italian “Rivo alto” (meaning “high bank”),. The Rialto area is the highest in Venice above mean high water.

Three footpaths cross the rather wide bridge. Between them are two rows of stores that house luxury stores as well as souvenir stores that sell usual Venice souvenirs to tourists from all over the world at completely inflated prices.

The history of the Rialto Bridge

In the early Middle Ages, pontoon bridges existed over the Grand Canal. By means of modern material testing methods, it has now been possible to prove a wooden substructure for a bridge that was built in the middle of the 10th century. There is historical evidence of the construction of a wooden bridge in 1246 under Doge Renier Zen.

Subsequently, due to the rapid rotting of the building material or to fires, several wooden bridges were built or renovated again and again, until it was decided in 1507 to build a bridge of stone. A decades-long discussion followed about the financing and design of the structure. Well-known architects such as Michelangelo, Andrea Palladio and Jacopo Sansovino took part in the competition for the redesign. Finally, a bridge with a single segmental arch designed by Giovanni Alvise Boldù and Antonio da Ponte was realized, which allowed a faster traffic flow on the busy Grand Canal than a bridge with several arches. Moreover, this construction allowed to continue building stores on the bridge in the commercial center of the city.

The decision to build it was taken in 1588, and between 1588 and 1591 it was erected by Antonio da Ponte under Doge Pasquale Cicogna, and opened to traffic on March 20, 1591. The Rialto Bridge was the only footpath across the Grand Canal until the construction of the Accademia Bridge in 1854.

Website

Unavailable.

Opening hours

None.

Admission fees

None.

Address

Getting there

By publice transport:

Vaporetto lines 1, 2, 2/, A and N: Stop Rialto

By car:

Inaccessible.