Ponte della Libertà, Road and rail bridge in Venice, Italy
Ponte della Libertà is a road and rail bridge in Venice built from concrete, brick, and Istrian stone, stretching for 3850 meters across the lagoon. The construction connects the mainland district of Mestre with Piazzale Roma at the edge of the historic old town.
The bridge opened in 1933 under Mussolini and was initially called Ponte Littorio. After the fall of fascist rule, the structure received its current name in 1945 as a symbol of freedom.
This crossing forms the point where travelers leave the mainland world and enter the car-free lagoon city, marking the shift from motorized traffic to boats and footpaths. The name commemorates Italy's liberation in 1945 and its return to democracy.
The roadway offers two lanes in each direction along with railway tracks that run separately. Pedestrians and cyclists use dedicated paths along the construction.
The structure runs parallel to an older railway connection from 1842 that already brought people and goods to the island. The two crossings share some common piers and foundations in the shallow lagoon.
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