Bridge of the Venetians

The construction crosses the Viti River with its mighty arches. In the 14th century a bridge was mentioned on the site, which probably incorporated the remains of the ancient Roman aqueduct built by Emperor Trajan in the 2nd century AD. In 1508, during Venetian rule, this medieval construction was replaced by a canal bridge, which allowed water to flow from the nearby Doria Canal. Evidence of this was the ‘Lion of St. Mark’, symbol of the Serenissima, which stood to the left of the bridge, unfortunately stolen. In 1937, consolidation work revealed that the foundations of the bridge rested on a complex structure of pile-dwellings, like the buildings constructed in Venice.

After its destruction in World War II, it was rebuilt in 1946 and the necessary roadway was widened to facilitate the passage of motor vehicles. In 1757, Prince Girolamo Pamphilij had a small cell dedicated to Our Lady of Mercy, popularly known as Madonna del Ponte (Our Lady of the bridge), erected near the bridge. The building has an octagonal plan and inside, until a few years ago, an 18th-century painting of the Madonna of Mercy was worshipped, which was unfortunately stolen. The work was replaced by a copy by the painter Giacinta Marchi.