Iconic Bridges Rialto in Venice

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Spanning the world-famous Grand Canal, the Rialto Bridge is one of the most popular landmarks of Venice. Every year millions of tourists stroll its walkways, browsing the shops for Murano glass, or taking photos of passing gondolas. Yet this romantic setting is a far cry from the Rialto's early life.

In 1181 the site of what was later to become the Rialto Bridge comprised little more than a string of floating pontoons, crossing the Grand Canal around halfway along, at the point where it turns sharply in the San Paolo district. The market, over on the east bank of the canal, was at that time a financial centre that also housed the mint. As the market became more prosperous and prominent, so the pontoons of the Ponte della Moneta, as it was then known, became worn by the increasing level of activity and no longer adequate for the amount of people crossing the Grand Canal.

This 'Mint Bridge' was therefore replaced in 1250 with a permanent, wooden structure that became known as the Rialto Bridge. Sixty years later the Ponte di Rialto - to give it its true name - was set on fire and burned down during a riot. In 1444, with the second replacement well established, disaster almost struck, when the weight of spectators crowding onto the bridge to watch the Duke of Ferrara's wedding, caused it to collapse. Fortunately, there were no fatalities or serious injuries.

In 1524 the Rialto Bridge collapsed once again owing to the number of people crossing and almost seventy years later a further replacement was eventually completed - this time in stone.

The bridge we see today, completed in 1591, has a single 24 ft arch, with a broad central promenade, flanked by two narrow corridors, one along each balustrade. For centuries there have been two rows of tiny shops on the bridge, originally leased by the government since the 1420s, and these days they are packed with tourists, eager to browse a range of items such as lace, leather and Murano glass.

The Rialto Bridge's two covered platforms rise steeply from each bank, joining a central portico via several flights of steps. There are over 12,000 wooden pilings supporting the entire structure.

Until construction of the Ponte dell'Accademia centuries later in 1854 and then the Ponte degli Scalzi in 1934, the Rialto Bridge remained the only one to connect the banks of the Grand Canal.

Today, although the city's tourists have other bridges to choose from, leaning on the balustrades of the Ponti di Rialto remains one of their favourite ways to watch the sun slowly sink over Venice.