Ponte Pietra
Bridge
Symbol for the history of Verona
Ponte Pietra
Symbol of the history of Verona
The Ponte Pietra, formerly also known as “pons marmoreus” (marble bridge), is one of the oldest bridges in the city. At the foundation of Verona in 90 BC a wooden bridge crossed the Adige River here, which was replaced by a stone bridge by the Romans. In the Middle Ages the bridge was destroyed several times by floods and rebuilt time and again. Having been destroyed once again in the 16th century, the five-arch bridge seen today was built. The last time the Ponte Pietra was destroyed was in 1945 when German soldiers blew it up on their retreat. The bridge was restored to its former glory in 1959.
On the left bank downstream you can see the remains of the ancient arches of the old bridge. The two central arches of the Ponte Pietra, built of brick, are remnants from the Middle Ages. The bridge’s eventful history and the preservation of elements from all periods, from ancient times to the present, have made the bridge a symbol of Verona’s history.
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