Ponte del Paradiso, Stone bridge in Castello district, Venice, Italy
Ponte del Paradiso is a stone bridge crossing the Rio del Mondo Nuovo canal in the Castello district. It features a fifteenth-century marble arch built between two adjacent buildings, with a sculptured Madonna positioned above the opening.
The bridge was built in the fifteenth century and originally displayed the coats of arms of the Foscari and Mocenigo families, two prominent Venetian noble houses. These heraldic symbols marked the importance of the connection between the two adjacent properties.
The name may come from painter Nicoletto Semitecolo, who signed his works as Nicolaus Paradisi and had ties to this neighborhood. This connection to local artistic life has shaped how people think about the area.
The arch is low and requires ducking when passing through; clearance under the bridge is about 7 feet (2 meters). Visit casually while exploring the neighborhood, as no special planning or timing is needed to see it.
The Madonna sculpture above the arch is a form of religious decoration that was widespread across Venice. This blend of architectural form and spiritual symbol reveals how faith was woven into the city's everyday spaces.
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