Venice hands architect $135k fine as bridge fails under tourist crowds

The Ponte della Costituzione opened over the Venice Grand Canal in 2008. Photo / Getty Images

An architect has been fined thousands after it was discovered his Venetian bridge can't handle the weight of tourists.

Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava was handed a €78000 ($135000) fine for flaws in his footbridge over the Grand Canal.

An Italian court reached this verdict on August 9, declaring the architect to be "negligent" in the construction.

The Ponte della Costituzione was built on the Venice Grand Canal in 2007 and finally opened to the public in September 2008.

The 90-metre bridge was opened to mark the 60 anniversary of the Italian constitution.
However, ten years later authorities have claimed that the bridge has developed structural flaws.

The lawsuit against the architect claims the bridge – which features a sleek steel structure and glass sides – is not fit for purpose. Some of the glass steps have already had to be replaced.

It simply isn't coping with the volume of tourists or their luggage.

Constituction bridge: The bridge is not coping with Venice's tourist crowds. Photo / Getty Images

Calatrava has been involved in high-profile bridges around the world, including in Dallas and Calgary.

However, this isn't the first time he has had problems with his designs. The 2015 plan for a Chicago skyscraper was cancelled. A spokesperson for Calatrava's office told CNN that the project was pulled in the wake of the "global financial crisis".

Ponte della Costituzione is the latest controversy that Venice faces due to its over tourism problem.

Even after introducing overnight and day taxes on tourists the volume of guests is still huge.

In 2017 the city introduced a ban on wheeled luggage being taken round the historic stone city.

This ban, however did not help the Ponte della Costituzione.