What is Bridge of Sighs?
[[Image:Antonio Contin - Ponte dei sospiri (Venice).jpg|thumb|upright|Bridge of Sighs]] [[Image:View from the Bridge of Sighs.jpg|thumb|View from the Bridge of Sighs]] The '''Bridge of Sighs''' (Italian: '''''Ponte dei Sospiri''''') is a small [[bridge]] in [[Venice]], northern [[Italy]]. The bridge has walls and a roof. It is made of white [[limestone]] and has windows with stone bars. It passes over the Rio di Palazzo and connects the [[Piombi|old prisons]] to the interrogation rooms in the [[Doge's Palace, Venice|Doge's Palace]]. It was designed by Antoni Contino (whose uncle [[Antonio da Ponte]] had designed the [[Rialto Bridge]]), and built in 1602. The view from the windows of the Bridge of Sighs was the last view of Venice that [[convict]]s saw before their [[prison|imprisonment]]. The bridge was named by [[Lord Byron]] in the 19th century. It was thought that prisoners would sigh at their final view of beautiful Venice through the windows before being taken down to their cells. In reality, the days of [[inquisition]]s and summary executions were over by the time the bridge was built and the cells under the palace roof were occupied mostly by small-time criminals. In addition, little could be seen from inside the Bridge due to the stone grills covering the windows. A local legend says that lovers will be granted everlasting love and bliss if they kiss on a [[gondola]] at sunset under the bridge.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.travelandleisure.com/activities/ponte-dei-sospiri-the-bridge-of-sighs |title=Ponte dei Sospiri (the Bridge of Sighs) |publisher=travelandleisure.com }}</ref> == Alternative (more likely) factual history == Most civilizations change the meaning of events and objects later to make the current group in control have a more pleasant history or to take a common negative representation and just tell a new story that is more positive. For example the ancient Roman Lady Justice did not contain a blindfold so she could correctly see the actions of humans to make a fair judgement and usua