Bridges of Venice

When a city is made of islands that are floating in an Adriatic lagoon, there are bound to a lot of bridges needed.  Such is the case for the splendidly beautiful city of Venice.  Some of those bridges are well know like the Rialto Bridge over the Grand Canal pictured above.

At least one bridge has a legend attached to it.  Such is the case for the tiny Bridge of Sighs pictured above.  It connects the Doge's Palace (where one might be tried for a crime) to the prison cells (where one would serve their sentence).  The legend says that prisoners would cross this bridge and look out one of those tiny windows and sigh at their last glimpse of Venice.

There are more than 400 bridges in Venice connecting the islands and spanning those watery streets.

They come in a variety of shapes and materials.

You will see some with neatly plastered sides creating a smooth arch.

Some are made of wrought iron and have a more modern utilitarian look.

Quiet bridges make the perfect place for a gondolier to take a break and check his emails.

The bridges also make the perfect place to stand and take a picture and if there happens to be a lady with a colorful umbrella, even better.

Some bridges are sporting greenery that has volunteered to grow along the sides.

And some bridges are so pretty that even a local resident can stand at the window to admire them.

Bridges, canals, plazas, and gondolas, there is an endless supply of things to photograph in one of the most famous cities on the planet.