Ponte delle Sirenette: Italy's first wrought iron bridge

The Ponte delle Sirenette, known in English as the Bridge of the Little Mermaids, is a historical landmark in Milan, Italy. Built between 1840 and 1842, this bridge is considered the first wrought iron bridge built in Italy. Commissioned by private people, the bridge was erected over the canal Navigli in Via San Damiano according to the designs of architect Francesco Tettamanzi by the society "Rubini-Scalini-Falck e C." of Dongo. The decorations were created from plaster models by Benedetto Cacciatori.

The bridge's parapets feature Latin inscriptions commemorating the construction of the first iron bridge in Milan in 1841, during the reign of Ferdinand I of Austria. A mermaid holding an oar is placed on each end pier. Inaugurated on June 23, 1842, by Rainier of Austria, viceroy of the Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia, the bridge has served as a site of local tradition. Over time, the mermaids were jokingly nicknamed the "Ghisini sisters" due to the cast iron material used for their construction.

In 1943, one of the statues was severely damaged during a bombing raid, and another statue was stolen in 1948. Today, the bridge is part of Parco Sempione. Local tradition holds that people touching the backs of the statues while kissing on the bridge hope to attract fertility and prosperity.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons