“Is that a dinosaur spine?” some Venetians asked. They were referring to what would become the Constitution Bridge. This bridge commemorates the 60th anniversary of the Italian Constitution. It is Venice’s fourth bridge over the Grand Canal.
The Constitution Bridge connects the Santa Lucia train station with Piazzale Roma. Piazzale Roma is the arrival point for buses and cars. This bridge unites the mainland with the lagoon city.
In 1995, the city decided to build a new bridge across the Grand Canal. Santiago Calatrava, a Spanish architect, designed the bridge. Construction began in 2002. The project should have ended in 2004. The original budget was 6.7 million euros. The final cost rose to 10.7 million. The bridge was finally completed in September 2008. It was met with great controversy.
Venetians often call it the Calatrava Bridge. Some even call it the dinosaur. This is because the structure resembles the spine of a giant from the Jurassic period. Calatrava said that architecture depends on the members of man. He believes that someone who does not understand anatomy is unlikely to be a good architect.
Calatrava feels that Venetian tradition is important. It is present in the bridge’s design. He believes the relationship between modern and classic is important. This balance is reflected in materials like stone and bronze. These materials evoke the past. Laminated glass allows light to shine through. This alludes to the modern age.
The Constitution Bridge is a steel structure. It appears light and flexible. From some angles, it resembles the open wing of a bird. The bridge is 94 meters long. Its width varies between 9.38 and 3 meters. This allows people to stop and contemplate the landscape. It does not impede others who want to cross without stopping.
The bridge’s central arch reaches 10 meters high. The steel frame is painted in a red tone of Venice. The floor uses glass and Istrian stone. The handrails are made of bronze and glass.
Roberto Casarin explained that the steel skeleton makes it a living work. It expands and shrinks with temperature changes. The project allows for a tolerance of four inches from the ground. Experts in geotechnics studied the mud floor in detail. Before mounting the bridge, the ground was strengthened. The likelihood of the foundations turning away more than four inches is very small.
The bridge was built separately. The foundations are more than 20 meters deep. The metal structure was built in San Dona di Piave in the Veneto region. It was then transported by sea. It entered the Grand Canal. It passed under the Bridge of the Academy. Finally, it was placed in its final location. The bridge materials are mainly steel and glass. Fluorescent lamps light this bridge. It also features brass railings, glass railings, and steps.
The Constitution Bridge project was controversial. There were concerns about wheelchair access. Some thought its style was incompatible with Venice’s architecture. The bridge has many steps. Elderly people have difficulty climbing it. Wheelchair users were initially excluded from crossing. A mobility lift system was installed in 2010. This incurred large costs. In 2019, the Italian Court of Auditors ordered Venice to scrap the lift system. It was an expensive failure.
The bridge also received criticism for its slippery glass surface. This caused injuries. The city created a central corridor made of trachyte stone. In 2022, the city decided to replace all the glass sections with trachyte stone. The city began removing the glass steps in December 2024. Stone steps would replace them. The Constitution Bridge continues to evolve. It adapts to the needs and concerns of Venice.