Walk the Accademia Bridge for Best Views of Venice

You get the best views of Venice from Accademia Bridge. This is another unique bridge of Venice at the lower crossing of Grand Canal.

Our destination was Santa Maria della Salute, we didn’t actually have to cross it, but being in Venice and not having walked the Accademia bridge for best views of Venice would be a shame. So we walked over the bridge, soaked in the lovely views from there.

Accademia Bridge of Venice is, a wooden structure, an open foot bridge.

Accademia Bridge made of wood and steel

Accademia Bridge made of wood and steel

Accademia Bridge (Ponte dell’Accademia) Location

Ponte dell’Accademia, the local name for Accademia Bridge, is located at lower, southern end of Grand Canal. This wooden bridge links the San Marco district with the Accademia art gallery in Dorsoduro.

Standing on the bridge, looking towards either direction, I found it hard to decide which view was better. On one side the dome of Santa Maria della Salute was visible, and on the other is the view towards the Rialto Bridge.

Ponte dell’Accademia

Accademia Bridge Construction

Accademia Bridge was constructed in 1854 with a steel structure. This structure was first made with wood, later reinforced with steel. The steel reinforcements are prominently visible.

The original Accademia Bridge, a steel bridge was built in 1854, it was designed by English architect A.E. Neville. Later it was replaced by a temporary wooden bridge in 1932.

In 1985, the crumbling Mussolini-era bridge was replaced by a new wooden replica of the 1932 structure. The steel reinforcements were added to strengthen the structure. It was built in a record period of 37 days then.

Due to corrosive effects of salty air of lagoon the bridge deteriorated. Add to those negative effects the load of love locks on the metal rails! Traffic of approximately 8 million people each year over the bridge too contributed to speedy deterioration.

The bridge we all see today was built, as an identical construction, in 1985.

Accademia Bridge Venice

Views from Accademia Bridge

This is the view of the Dorsoduro side of the bridge, you can see the Accademia vaporetto, the first stop after San Marco’s. View of Santa Maria della Salute, the canal feeds into St. Mark’s Basin here.

Getting to this bridge is easy, you will find plenty of signs with arrows indicating Accademia, it is ten minutes from Rialto Bridge.

View of Accademia vaporetto from Accademia bridge

View from the elegant wooden bridge in Venice

Tip for Best Views of Venice from Accademia Bridge

Reach just prior to sunset. The sight of San Marco Basin and the Salute Basilica is spectacular.  The monuments get a magical glow illuminated by the pink sunset.

Best views of Venice from Accademia bridge

Trivia: Greg Wise proposed to Emma Thompson on the Accademia Bridge.

Read more: Europe has several wooden bridges still standing strong from medieval times. In Lucerne, Switzerland I walked across two wooden bridges. Read the here: Spreuer Bridge and Kapellbrucke Bridge.

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