Venice Revives Ancient Tradition of Temporary Bridge to Island Cemetery on All Souls' Day

Venetians paid their respects to their loved ones on San Michele island, the city's principal burial ground, as the city revived an ancient tradition of constructing a temporary bridge to allow people to cross the lagoon by foot. The 400-meter-long bridge, made of modular pontoons, was built to facilitate the solemn journey to the cemetery, which was established in 1807 after Napoleon decreed that burial be moved away from the city. This revival marks the third time the city has built a temporary bridge to the island, after two previous occasions in the 19th century.

Key Takeaways:

• The temporary bridge was revived after an absence of seven decades, with a modular pontoon construction in 2019.
• The bridge was built to facilitate the solemn journey to the San Michele island cemetery on All Souls' Day, which is celebrated on November 2.
• The bridge is 400 meters long and 15 meters wide, allowing people to cross the lagoon by foot.
• The bridge can withstand high tides of up to 1 meter and allows water taxis, buses, and ambulances to pass through.
• Only residents were allowed on the bridge through the All Souls' Day holiday, while tourists were not allowed until Monday.
• The cemetery was established in 1807 and is the principal burial ground for Venice's historic center.
• The island cemetery remains a popular tourist destination, attracting visitors who are unaware of its significance as a burial ground.

Statistics:

• 400 meters: length of the temporary bridge
• 15 meters: width of the temporary bridge
• 1 meter: maximum height of high tides the bridge can withstand
• 1807: year the San Michele island cemetery was established
• 50 feet: approximate length of the bridge in feet

Sources:

• Perez, Alex. "Venice Revives Ancient Bridge Tradition to Honor Loved Ones." The Associated Press, 2025.
• "Venice, Italy." Wikipedia, 2025.