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The Rialto Bridge (Ponte di Rialto) spans the Grand Canal
at the heart of the historic city. Built between 1588 and
1591, it replaced earlier wooden bridges that had linked
the districts of San Marco and San Polo since the 12th
century.
When the last wooden bridge collapsed in 1524, several
projects were considered before the city authorities
requested plans for a stone bridge in 1551. The architect
Antonio da Ponte competed with illustrious competitors
such as Michelangelo and Palladio before winning the
contract.
His single span design with a 24 ft. (7.5 m) arch included
three walkways: two along the outer edges and a wider
central walkway between two rows of small shops. The
entire structure was built on some 12,000 wooden pilings
that still support the bridge over 400 years later.
Rialto Bridge
[ “To build a city where it is
impossible to build a
city is madness in itself,
but to build there one
of the most elegant and
grandest of cities is the
madness of genius.” ]
Alexander Herzen
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