Venice 3...........
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My latest Europe trip | Posted:
Fri Oct 21, 2005 12:48 pm
This next bridge has an interesting story. It is called "The Bridge of Sighs" and is the only enclosed bridge.
It leads from the prison to the Venice courts. Prisoners were held in the cells until their trial. Prior to their trial they were escoted, under gaurd, over the Bridge of Sighs and to the courtrooms. On the way they would peer through the small windows on the bridge, often being the first time they had seen daylight and the canals for days or even months.
Those who were unfortunate and were convicted, often with the death penalty, would be led back across the Bridge of Sighs and the gaurds would stop at the windows to allow them one last look at the world 'outside' as they knew they would never see it again. Many of them would sigh and cry at the realisation of this.
So it earned the name "Bridge of Sighs"
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