Ponte delle Tette

PONTE DELLE TETTE

Ponte delle Tette is a small bridge in the San Polo district of Venice, near the Rialto area. Its name is quite unusual—and it comes from a curious aspect of Venetian history.

During the time of the Republic of Venice, the nearby area was known for prostitution. It is said that women would lean out of windows or stand on balconies, exposing their breasts to attract clients—hence the name of the bridge.

This practice was not entirely random: at the time, authorities tolerated (and in some ways encouraged) prostitution as a way to limit other behaviors they considered “problematic,” such as homosexuality.

Today, of course, nothing like that happens anymore. It is simply a small, quiet bridge—but with a name that preserves a rather unusual and intriguing piece of Venice’s history.