Bridge of Sighs facts for kids
The Bridge of Sighs (in Italian, Ponte dei Sospiri) is a famous bridge in Venice, Italy. It's a small bridge with walls and a roof, made from white limestone. It has windows with stone bars. This bridge connects the old prisons to the Doge's Palace, where prisoners were questioned. Antoni Contino designed it, and it was built in 1602.
Why is it called the Bridge of Sighs?
People say that prisoners would sigh as they saw their last view of Venice from this bridge before going to jail. This is how the bridge got its name from the poet Lord Byron in the 1800s. However, it's likely that prisoners couldn't see much from the windows because of the stone bars. Also, by the time the bridge was built, most prisoners were not serious criminals.
A Romantic Legend
There's a romantic story about the Bridge of Sighs. It says that if two lovers kiss on a gondola boat under the bridge at sunset, their love will last forever.
Images for kids
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The Bridge of Sighs seen by night.
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Bridge of Sighs, Pittsburgh, PA
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The bridge in front of the Bridge of Sighs. Picture taken from the Bridge of Sighs.
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The Bridge of Sighs during maintenance
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John Singer Sargent watercolor
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The Bridge of Sighs seen from Ponte della Canonica.
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See also
In Spanish: Puente de los Suspiros (Venecia) para niños
