The bridges in Venice are 446, originally they were all built in stone and generally without the lateral protections called since 1600 bands, or “spallette”, as shown by the paintings of the great Venetian vedutisti of the ‘700.
For security reasons, starting from the 1800s, they were all equipped with a parapet. Only two bridges have survived “without bands”: the Chiodo Bridge in Venice in the Cannaregio district and the Devil’s Bridge, dating back even to the 15th century, on the island of Torcello.
The Chiodo Bridge is very ancient, finding it is not so simple, it is definitely worth looking for it, as part of that secret Venice that is not part of the “tourism highway”.
The Chiodo bridge is a private bridge, since it leads to the doors of some houses and does not continue through the public road. Chiodo is the name of the noble Venetian family that once owned the bridge.
Outside the common “tourist routes”, the Ponte Chiodo is located a few meters from the “Scuola Grande della Misericordia”, one of the masterpieces of the great architect Jacopo Sansovino. The nearest vaporetto stop is “Ca’ d’Oro “(line 1).
Location: Chiodo bridge, Venice
