Trepponti bridge, Stone bridge and city gate in Comacchio, Italy
Trepponti bridge is a footbridge with five separate brick staircases that spread across intersecting canals and meet at a central stone plaza. The design creates a pentagonal platform that provides access to different parts of the city while spanning the waterways below.
A cardinal commissioned the bridge construction in 1638 as part of Comacchio's urban renewal under Papal States rule. The project followed plans to reshape the city and improve its canal networks.
A decorated plaque on the bridge displays verses from Italian poet Torquato Tasso that describe the canals and local landscape. Visitors can read these words and understand how literature connects to the place where they stand.
The five staircases lead to different streets and markets in the city below, so visitors can choose their route based on where they want to explore. The structure is accessible on foot and offers views over the canals from above before descending into the city.
The bridge divides into five separate paths that fan out across multiple intersecting canals, making it an uncommon example of multiway bridge design. This unusual form arose from the specific layout of the waterways and remains a distinctive feature of the city's landscape.
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