Thursday, July 9, 2015

ES-349458

The previous card was french and it was sent by a german girl living in Italy, this one is italian and it was sent by an ukrainian girl studying in Spain. 
I've a few cards from Venice but I believe this is my 1st one with the Bridge of Sighs. 

Foto: archivio Mazzega Art & Design s. r. l.
ES-349458, sent by Daria. 
The Sighs Bridge was designed by Antonio Contino, in Italian Renaissance in style. Its construction started in 1600 and it took about two years to be complete. The 11 meter (36ft) wide bridge is made of white limestone and two windows with stone bars. 
 It passes over the Rio di Palazzo and connects the New Prison (Prigioni Nuove) to the interrogation rooms in the Doge's Palace. 
The view from the Bridge of Sighs was the last view of Venice that convicts saw before their imprisonment. The bridge name, given by Lord Byron as a translation from the Italian "Ponte dei sospiri" in the 19th century, comes from the suggestion that prisoners would sigh at their final view of beautiful Venice through the window before being taken down to their cells. In reality, the days of inquisitions and summary executions were over by the time the bridge was built and the cells under the palace roof were occupied mostly by small-time criminals. In addition, little could be seen from inside the Bridge due to the stone grills covering the windows.
A local legend says that lovers will be granted eternal love and bliss if they kiss on a gondola at sunset under the Bridge of Sighs as the bells of St Mark's Campanile toll. - in: wikipedia

No comments: