The Ponte della Paglia is a bridge in Venice that crosses the Rio di
Palazzo near the Doge's Palace, connecting the pier of the Piazzetta di
San Marco with the Riva degli Schiavoni. It is one of the bridges that
mark the passage between the San Marco and Castello districts.
The bridge is very often crowded by tourists not only because it allows
an excellent view of the Bridge of Sighs and the entire San Marco Basin,
but also because, on summer evenings, it offers the most beautiful
Venetian sunsets with the sun setting behind the Basilica of Health.
The name "della Paglia" derives from the boats loaded with straw
that moored there, as demonstrated by some laws and ordinances of the
Republic which forbade this habit.