words by Gabi Logan
The City of Venice gave their approval on Friday for a feasibility study on a proposed restoration of Venice’s more than 400-hundred-year-old Rialto Bridge. If it moves ahead, the work will cost five to seven million euros.
Built in 1591, after the previous two wooden bridges had collapsed, the Rialto Bridge provided the only pedestrian connection between the two sides of the Grand Canal for centuries. No restoration work has been done on the Medieval structure in over 30 years, and cracks have appeared in the marble on the steps and areas of the facade.
A collapsed railing column and dislodged step, which resulted in partial closure of the bridge, have given new urgency to maintenance plans. If it proceeds, the planned restoration will last for an estimated 18 months, projected to end in April 2015, and focus on pavement tiles, balustrades, and public areas of the structure. With the aim of fixing current structural issues and improving the long-term health of the bridge, Public Works Assessor Alessandro Maggioni has called it a “complete restoration”.
Currently 400 million euros in debt, the city cannot fund the needed restoration work. Renzo Rosso, founder and owner of the Diesel fashion company, has been in contact with Venetian Mayor Giorgio Orsoni, and shown interest in sponsoring the project in exchange for “non-invasive” publicity placements on the bridge.
Other Venetian landmarks, notable the Doge’s Palace and the Bridge of Sighs, already bear giant advertising panels from prominent bank and fashion brands. Prada, Benetton, and Francois Pinault, owner of brands such as Gucci and Balenciaga, have all purchased palaces on the Grand Canal, while Bulgari, Replay and Palazzetti are paying for restorations of other sites.
Citizens’ initiatives to preserve Venice’s public cultural heritage sprung up approval of The Benetton Group’s plan to turn the Fondaco dei Tedesci into a shopping centre.
