Ponte dei Sospiri, A bridge of history, sighs, and romance

Piazza San Marco, 1, Venice

One of the iconic landmarks in Venice

3.9

Introduction

Behind the Governor's office, there is a bridge that used to be a necessary path between the Governor's office and the prison. Because prisoners once passed through this place and let out sighs of repentance, it is called the "Bridge of Sighs". Nowadays, tourists can visit this place during the same time period as the Duke's Palace. If time is limited, visitors can also view the Bridge of Sighs from a distance. It is an early Baroque-style enclosed bridge that looks like a house, with a vaulted roof and strong enclosure, with only two small windows on the river side. In the past, after criminals were tried at the Governor's office, they were taken to the dungeon. As they passed through this stuffy bridge, they could only see the blue sky through the small windows, and from then on lost their freedom, unconsciously letting out sighs. Additionally, there is a legend that a condemned prisoner on the other end of the bridge saw their lover being intimate with their new lover and let out a deep sigh of despair. Since then, the Bridge of Sighs has become a place where lovers witness love, with a tradition that kissing under the bridge can ensure eternal love. This place is also one of the filming locations for the movie "A Little Romance". Standing on the Bridge of Sighs, one can feel like taking one step forward is hell, while taking one step back is heaven.