Ponte Vittorio Emanuele I, Stone bridge over Po River in Turin, Italy
Ponte Vittorio Emanuele I is a stone bridge over the Po River in Turin, linking the city center to the Borgo Po district on the opposite bank. It rests on five granite arches, runs about 150 meters (490 ft) in length, and carries both pedestrians and tram lines.
A French engineer drew up the plans in 1808, during the period when Turin was under Napoleonic rule, and the bridge was finished in 1813. Shortly after its completion, the city passed out of French hands, and the bridge was later named after the first king of a unified Sardinia.
The bridge lines up directly with the Gran Madre di Dio church on the far bank, creating a clear visual axis that locals and visitors notice as they cross. This alignment gives the crossing a sense of arrival, as the church appears to frame the end of the bridge.
The bridge is open at all times to pedestrians, but trams also use it, so it is worth staying on the footpath and watching for vehicles. The riverbanks on either side offer a good vantage point to see the granite arches from below.
During construction, workers sealed 88 commemorative coins from Napoleon's military campaigns along with a silver ingot inside the foundation of the central pier. These objects have never been removed and remain hidden within the stone to this day.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
