The Bridge of Sighs (Italian: Ponte dei Sospiri, Venetian: Ponte de i Sospiri) is a bridge in Venice, Italy. The enclosed bridge is made of white limestone, has windows with stone bars, passes over the Rio di Palazzo, and connects the New Prison (Prigioni Nuove) to the interrogation rooms in the Doge's Palace. It was designed by Antonio Contin, whose uncle Antonio da Ponte designed the Rialto Bridge. It was built in 1600.
Venice on a cloudy day, Jan 2025
Antonio Gai realized the elaborate bronze gate (1733–1734) with the allegorical figures of Vigilance (on the left with the lighted lamp and the crane holding a pebble with its foot) and Liberty (on the right with the pileus on a staff). The gate is surmounted by Armed Peace (to the left with a helmet and an olive branch) and Public Happiness (to the right with the caduceus and a cornucopia).
The Horses of Saint Mark (Italian: Cavalli di San Marco), also known as the Triumphal Quadriga or the Horses of the Hippodrome of Constantinople, are a group of bronze statues of four horses that originally formed part of a monument depicting a quadriga — a four-horse chariot used in chariot racing and Roman triumphs.
The horses were placed on the façade, on the loggia above the porch, of St Mark's Basilica in Venice, northern Italy, after the sack of Constantinople in 1204. They remained there until they were looted by Napoleon in 1797, but were returned in 1815. The original sculptures have since been moved indoors for conservation, with replicas now occupying their former position on the loggia.
Courtyard in Venice, outside a very strange museum
Pastry Shop on the streets of Venice, Jan 8th 2025
Sunset at the Bellagio
Lake town shot from the ferry
Shot from the ferry, exploring the lake towns of Como
Verona, rainy night in January. Almost missed the last train home and struggled to find a last minute dinner reservation.
The Verona Arena is a Roman amphitheatre located in the historic center of Verona, an iconic symbol of the Venetian city alongside the figures of Romeo and Juliet. It stands as one of the grand structures that defined Roman architecture and is among the best-preserved ancient amphitheatres to have survived into the modern era. This remarkable state of preservation is largely due to systematic restoration efforts that began in the 16th century; as a result, despite numerous transformations over time, the Arena allows visitors to easily grasp the design of such buildings. These structures were meticulously engineered for their intended purpose yet possessed an essential, understated beauty.
