The Magnificent Rialto Bridge

The Rialto Bridge is, without a doubt, the most beautiful bridge in Venice. Spanning the Grand Canal, it takes your breath away the first time you see it—and somehow, even after all these years, it still does that to me every single time.

In real life, it’s bigger and far more majestic than the photos suggest. The elegant arch, the marble detail, the way it rises out of the water—it’s simply unforgettable. And at night, when it’s all lit up, the magic deepens. The bridge glows, the reflections shimmer, and Venice feels more like a dream than a city.

The bridge changes with the light—soft and romantic at sunrise, dramatic at sunset, quietly glowing under the stars. If you want to enjoy it without the crowds, go early in the morning or around sunset. These are the moments when you can truly take it in—the beauty, the history, and the soul of Venice, all captured in a single bridge.

Rialto Bridge viewed from the Rialto Hotel

Weird Facts about the Rialto Bridge

1. Hidden Passageways: Beneath the Rialto Bridge, there are hidden passageways and corridors that were once used by merchants to transport goods and supplies. These secret passages allowed for discreet movement without disturbing the bustling marketplace.

2. The First Rialto Bridge: Before the current stone bridge, there were several wooden bridges that spanned the Grand Canal at the Rialto location. The first bridge was built in the 12th century, followed by subsequent wooden bridges until the stone bridge we see today was constructed.

3. The Devil's Contract: Legend has it that Antonio da Ponte made a pact with the devil to complete the construction of the Rialto Bridge in a short period. In return, the devil would claim the soul of the first person to cross the bridge. To outsmart the devil, Antonio sent a dog across the bridge first, saving human lives.

4. An Architectural Marvel: The Rialto Bridge was considered a remarkable engineering feat of its time. It was one of the few bridges in Venice to span the wide Grand Canal, using a single arch design. The bridge is built entirely of marble, and because there is no central support, many believed it would collapse. History has proved the doubters wrong.

A Little History

This latest bridge is also a lot better built than the previous versions. All the old ones collapsed or burned down at intervals of every hundred years or so. 

The current bridge was built between 1588 and 1591, after the last of the previous wooden versions gave up the ghost in 1524.

Being Italy, it took fifty years of arguing about whether another wooden bridge or a stone one should be built and about who should build it before they actually got started on the current bridge. Finally, they gave the go-ahead to Antonio de Ponte, whose surname means bridge in Italian and whose design is that of the current bridge. Interestingly enough, Michelangelo was also considered at one stage for the job, but his rate was too high and they couldn’t afford him.

The design of Antonio de Ponte is very similar to the previous wooden one. It was considered pretty revolutionary at the time for a stone bridge, and it was the first stone bridge to span the Grand Canal.

Shopping on the Bridge

The shops along the sides of the bridge were initially built to generate funds for the construction of this iconic landmark. However, over the years, most of them have transformed into tourist-oriented establishments. I suggest you discover the true shopping experience of traditional Venice, beyond the tourist traps, in our Venice Shopping Guide.

As our friend Luca explains, "Venice is a city of hidden treasures, where genuine craftsmanship and local artisans flourish in the narrow streets and lesser-known districts. It's in these less-frequented corners that the true soul of Venice can be found." Many of them are found in the charming districts of Cannaregio or Dorsoduro.

If you would like to buy glass, I would suggest that you first read our Venice glass shopping guide and then take the boat trip out to Murano.  

For masks, try some of the shops I mention on the Venice Carnival Mask page.