Rialto Bridge (Ponte di Rialto)

Location

Last Visited: 2013 View Google Map, Geocoding, Google Earth pushpin, what3words, etc.

Up until 1854, when the Academia Bridge was built, there was only one way to cross the Grand Canal on foot, the Rialto Bridge.

The current stone structure was built between 1588 and 1591 to the design of the aptly named Antonio da Ponte. Before that were a series of rickety wooden bridges which either collapse, decayed or were sabotaged.

It is impressively wide, with two external balustraded footpaths either side of the central thoroughfare lined with small shops.