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A pontoon
The first crossing of the Grand Canal was a pontoon bridge
The first dry crossing of the Grand Canal was a pontoon bridge built by Nicolò Barattieri, called the Ponte della Moneta, presumably after the mint near its eastern entrance. In 1255 a wooden bridge replaced it, with a central section that could be raised for tall ships.
Wood
The wooden bridge got shops, then burnt once and fell twice
In the first half of the 15th century two rows of shops were built along the bridge. It was partly burnt in the revolt led by Bajamonte Tiepolo in 1310, and it collapsed in 1444 under a crowd rushing to see the marriage of the Marquis of Ferrara, and again in 1524.
Stone
Sansovino, Palladio and Vignola offered plans for a stone bridge
A stone bridge was first proposed in 1503. In 1551 the authorities asked for proposals, and Jacopo Sansovino, Palladio and Vignola offered plans. All used a Classical approach with several arches, which was judged inappropriate to the situation.
One span
The single stone span was so bold that a rival predicted ruin
The present bridge is a single span designed by Antonio da Ponte. Construction began in 1588 and was completed in 1591. The engineering was considered so audacious that the architect Vincenzo Scamozzi predicted future ruin.
Shylock
Robert Browning called it Shylock's bridge
Robert Browning's poem A Toccata of Galuppi's calls it Shylock's bridge, probably because Shylock mentions the bridge in Act I Scene III of The Merchant of Venice.
“Many a time and oft, In the Rialto you have rated me”
Shylock, in The Merchant of Venice, Act I Scene III
Day 1, afternoon
It comes after Grand Canal. Then Piazza San Marco.
More stories from this trip idea
The words are a retelling of the Wikipedia article Rialto Bridge, and are shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. They are checked against those articles, and a fact that is not in them is left out.