Enchanting Italian bridges
The entire Italy offers a variety of spectacular bridges. Special connection that especially in Medieval times allowed the mass, merchants, soldiers, kings to move easily from one side to another of the Italian peninsula.
Let’s buckle up our seat belts on and let virtually take a tour to these amazing bridges!
Ponte Gervasio Gorge, Claviere
The Claviere Bridge is longer than 500 meters. Starts from Turin to few steps away from the France border.
It’s definitely tight, only one person at the time, and once you decide to walk through this special passage, you can clearly see the wild nature of St. Gervasio gorge underneath your feet between its chains.
This bridge was built in 2006 by the European Union and it is considered the longest suspended bridge in the world.
Ponte Castelvecchio, Verona
The Castel Vecchio Bridge or known also as Scaliger Bridge is a fortified bridge in Verona, northern Italy, over the Adige River.
It was built around 1350, but then completely destroyed during the end on the 2nd World War. Even though, around 1950 the architect Libero Cecchini reconstructed it, it is considered one of the most beautiful, most medieval, most arched bridge of all.
Ponte Saint Martin, Valle d’Aosta
The Pont-Saint-Martin is a Roman segmental arch bridge in the Aosta Valley in Italy dating to the 1st century BC.
Legend says that the bridge was built by the devil, and deceived by San Martino.
Pont-Saint-Martin, was named after the Saint-Martin lords from the Bard dynasty, later successors were the Savoy household. It is a great place to visit full of history, nature, and amazing view of the old center.
Ponte di Gaiola, Napoli
It is a special bridge which connects the land of Naples to the tiny Gaiola island.
The island is at the Underwater Park of Gaiola, a protected marine reserve.
This area features snorkeling along with boat tours of above and below sea level of Roman ruins.
Passing through this bridge will give you the option to see the Gulf of Naples with its so unique skyline made of sea, island, lands, and Mount Vesuvius.
Ponte Vecchio, Firenze
One of the most well-known tourist destinations.
Ponte Vecchio, or Old Bridge, was the only bridge across the Arno River in Florence until 1218. The current bridge was rebuilt after a flood in 1345, also, it was the only bridge across the Arno that the fleeing Germans did not destroy.
There have been shops on Ponte Vecchio since the 13th century. Initially, there were all types of shops, such as: butchers and fishmongers, then in 1593, King Ferdinand I decreed those only goldsmiths and jeweler be allowed to have their shops on the bridge.
Ponte di Rialto, Venezia
Hot spot for travelers of all around the world.
The Rialto bridge was built in 1181 by Nicolò Barattieri. It was called also Ponte della Moneta, presumably because of custom duty had been covered near its entrance.
This bridge was rebuilt many times, because many times collapsed. The present stone bridge, the one known all around the world, is a single span designed by Antonio da Ponte, was constructed in 1588 and was completed in 1591.
Ponte Sant’Angelo, Roma
One of the oldest Italian bridges that you will find in Rome, Italy.
It was completed in 134 AD by Roman Emperor Hadrian (Publius Aelius Hadrianus), to span the Tiber from the city center to his newly constructed mausoleum, now the towering Castel Sant’Angelo.
This bridge took place after mad emperor Nero burnt the city down. Pilgrims, then were forced to use this bridge to reach St Peter’s Basilica, hence it was known also with the name of “bridge of Saint Peter.”
The bridge now, it’s exclusively a pedestrian area and it offers a scenic view of the enchanting Castel Sant’Angelo.
Ponte di Tiberio, Rimini
It is known also as or Bridge of Augustus, it is a Roman bridge in Rimini, Italy. It features five beautiful semicircular arches.
This construction took some time, because it started under emperor Augustus, and it was completed with emperor Tiberius’ jurisdiction. Also, this amazing stone architecture was destroyed by German during World War II.
However, it was fixed and now pedestrian and cars cand drive through it.
Ponte della Maddalena, Lucca
One of the numerous medieval bridges. It is known also as the “Bridge of the Devil.”
However, Ponte della Maddalena takes its name after Mary Magdalene.
In fact, a statue stands at the bottom of the bridge. This, was a medieval route taken especially by merchant, soldiers, and pilgrim who intended to pay a visit to Rome, or to go up north to France. It is highly possible that its construction was commissioned by the Countess Matilda of Tuscany c. 1080-1100.
Ponte dell’Ammiraglio, Palermo
It was completed in 1131, a year after the coronation of Roger II as first King of Sicily.
According to a legend, the bridge is situated in the place where the Archangel Michael appeared to the Norman Count Roger I of Sicily helping him to conquer Palermo, at that time of the Islamic.
Thanks to its strategic position, on 27 May 1860, the bridge was the place of a famous battle between the Red Shirts of Giuseppe Garibaldi and the army of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies during the Expedition of the Thousand.
The Admiral bridge keeps the pride to have witnessed many phases of the Italian history. In 2015 was it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
ALM