VENICE, Italy (AP) — Venice’s San Michele Island is the final resting place of American poet Ezra Pound, Russian composer Igor Stravinsky and many other Venetians known only to their loved ones.
city of venice This year, a long-dormant tradition of building temporary bridges was revived to allow Venetians to walk across the 400-metre (quarter-mile) lagoon and pay their respects to those who died at sea. Catholic Feast of All Souls.
In its original form, the crossing was constructed from Venetian “Pita” boats tied together, topped with walking planks, and fixed to the bottom of the lagoon. This practice was discontinued in the 1950s. This is probably due to the increased number of regular public water buses making the island easier to access.
After a nearly 70-year hiatus, the bridge was revived in 2019 with modular pontoon construction, but the COVID-19 pandemic halted plans to make it an annual event until this year.
Mayor Luigi Brugnaro said last week: “We have proposed once again to reconnect history with living people. This is a concrete journey.” It’s not fake or philosophical. This beautiful route on water will teach you a lot about Venice. ”
Mourners walk across the Votiv bridge, a 407-meter temporary floating bridge that connects the city to the cemetery on San Michele island, in honor of the dead on All Souls’ Day, in Venice, Italy, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
The lagoon city of Venice is connected by hundreds of pedestrian bridges. Historically, however, the city has only built temporary bridges two other times, and they lasted longer: when crossing the Giudecca Canal on the annual Feast of the Redeemer in late July, and when crossing the Grand Canal on the Feast of the Madonna della Salute on November 21st.
The floating walkway to San Michele Island near Murano Island is the longest of the three and traverses a relatively shallow area of the lagoon from Fondamente Nove. The temporary bridge arches upward to accommodate water taxis, buses, ambulances, and other boat traffic. Its modern construction allows it to easily withstand storm surges of 1 meter (more than 3 feet) in height, officials said.
We opened on Thursday in anticipation of All Souls Day When Italians visit cemeteries to pay their respects to loved ones. Only residents could access the 15-meter (50-foot) wide bridge during Sunday and public holidays. It is scheduled to open to tourists on Monday.
“Normally I don’t go to cemeteries for various reasons, but I’m taking advantage of this very unusual situation,” Antonio Vespignani said Thursday. “It’s a way for me to visit my loved ones.”
Zhang Miao, a Chinese tourist, arrived on the island by ferry on Sunday out of curiosity, but had no idea it was a cemetery. “We used the bridge to get back to the mainland, which is much more convenient and free,” she said.
This cemetery was established in 1807 after Napoleon decreed that burial sites be moved away from cities. Its name comes from the 15th century church on the island. Later, the canal between it and the neighboring island was filled in and expanded.
San Michele remains the main burial ground in Venice’s historic center, even though it is where much of the city’s population is buried. move to the mainland.
