Ponte dell'Accademia

The wooden Ponte dell’Accademia, with a high arch like a cat’s back, was built in 1933 as a temporary replacement for an 1854 iron bridge, but it remains a beloved landmark. Engineer Eugenio Miozzi moved onto bigger Fascist monuments such as the Lido casino and the Ponte della Libertà bridge to the mainland, but none has stood the test of time quite like this elegant little footbridge. Renovations scheduled to begin in 2010/11 are long overdue, but the city is quick to reassure the bridge’s ardent admirers that changes will be overwhelmingly structural.

One of the most common images from Venice is the view of the Chiesa di Santa Maria della Salute from this spot. The bridge links the sestiere of San Marco with Dorsoduro. In front of you across the bridge are the Gallerie dell'Accademia.