The Accademia Bridge

When it comes to Venetian bridges, they all look quite similar, except for this one! The Accademia Bridge is one of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal, and was built by Austria. The neighbouring nation ruled here from 1848 to 1866, and gifted the city its second metal bridge, connecting the Dorsoduro and San Marco districts. But the structure got in the way of boats passing through, and was replaced by a wooden bridge in 1933. Built in just 37 days as a temporary solution, the Venetians ended up keeping this wooden structure. However, if you look closely at the arch, you can see that there’s more than just wood. The original materials began to corrode, meaning frequent and expensive maintenance, so some of them were replaced with metal to better reinforce the structure. This is one of the most crossed bridges in Venice. Couples attach padlocks here to symbolise their love, while photographers take beautiful pictures over the canal.