The Rialto Bridge is the oldest surviving bridge across Venice’s Grand Canal, completed in 1591.
The stone bridge replaced several earlier wooden crossings at Venice’s busiest commercial point. Antonio da Ponte designed the winning proposal, featuring a single broad arch supported by foundations driven into the canal bed.
Its covered walkway contains shops, continuing the bridge’s historic role as a trading center. The Rialto market stands nearby, making this part of Venice a major hub for visitors and commerce.
The Rialto Bridge is sometimes confused with the Bridge of Sighs, but that smaller enclosed bridge crosses a palace canal near St Mark’s Square. The Rialto crosses the Grand Canal itself and is one of Venice’s defining landmarks.