Venice’s Rialto Bridge lights up with colours of Italian flag in ‘gesture of hope’

THE Rialto Bridge in Venice has been illuminated with the red, white and green of the Italian flag in a show of strength and solidarity in the face of coronavirus.

The mayor of Venice, Luigi Brugnaro, said that the famous Venetian landmark would be lit up in the colours of the Italian flag every evening until the end of the Covid-19 emergency in the country.

Brugnaro described the gesture as “a message of solidarity, faith and hope for our future.” In a post on Twitter, the Council of Venice account added that it was, “to show solidarity with citizens and to give thanks to health workers battling Covid-19.”

🔸 #Coronavirus #Solidarieta 🔸

Ponte di #Rialto illuminato dal tricolore 🇮🇹

🤝 Uno dei simboli di #Venezia nel mondo illuminato per mostrare vicinanza ai cittadini e dire grazie agli operatori sanitari impegnati nella lotta al #Covid19

🔍 https://t.co/ayZsLtnyd5 pic.twitter.com/VmzwAgXMo7

— Comune di Venezia (@comunevenezia) April 16, 2020

The Veneto region, where Venice is located, has suffered nearly 1,000 deaths due to the coronavirus. The city of Venice, once overwhelmed by visitors, is also struggling economically, as many residents relied on tourism for an income.