Bridge of Sighs

The Bridge of Sighs: the Venetian most photographed corner by tourists. The bridge was built by the Doge Marino Grimani, which carries the coat of arms in 1602 to connect the Doge’s Palace to the building of new prisons. Built in white Istrian stone, completely hides two corridors separated by a wall linking the Prisons, one directed to the Halls of the Magistrates located on the main floor of the Palazzo Ducale, the other to the Halls dell’Avogaria and the parlor. Each corridor is then connected to the service staircase that leads up to the Pozzi Leads.

For popular tradition, it is said that the Bridge of Sighs has this name because it passed through the prisoners or detainees awaiting trial, which could see the light of day and the beautiful views of the lagoon for the last time, then sighing for the terrible detention waiting for them in the vicious cells of the Serenissima.