Bridge of Sighs
Bridge of Sighs
4
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The main buildings at Hertford College are linked together by a corridor called the "Bridge of Sighs," built in 1913-14 and named after the Ponte dei Sospiri in Venice.
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4.0
1,030 reviews
Excellent
394
Very good
433
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181
Poor
15
Terrible
7
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BackinBracknell
Bracknell, UK1,584 contributions
Jan 2020
Best seen as part of tour of Oxford sights, rather than going especially to see it. Everyone stops for a photo and it's very touristy, but that's it really. The bridge connects two parts of Hertford College across a small lane and is not open to the public so you can't walk across it. Definitely see it but don't expect it to be like Venice!
Written 1 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michel_Louise_2013
Quebec City, Canada28,297 contributions
Apr 2023 • Couples
Often called the "Bridge of Sighs" because of its similarity to the Bridge of Sighs in Venice, Italy, the bridge is actually called "Hertford Bridge". It is actually a footbridge connecting the old (southern part - administrative offices) and new (northern part - student accommodation) quadrangle of Hertford College above New College Lane in Oxford, England. Completed in 1914, its distinctive design, designed by Sir Thomas Graham Jackson (1835-1924), one of the most distinguished British architects of his generation, particularly for his work in Oxford, made it a tourist attraction and image of city brand. British Heritage Listed (Grade II).
Written 3 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JRMADA
United States3,341 contributions
Sept 2022
Hopefully you are lucky enough to go when there aren’t 300 people trying to take glamour shots here. This is a nice structure. There isn’t much to do here other than look at it, but it is close enough to other places you can actually visit, so why not stop and take a pic?
Written 28 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lamarbradley
Nashville, TN1,258 contributions
May 2023
Our guide pointed this out on a short walking tour of Oxford and mentioned that it was modeled after not the Bridge of Sighs in Venice Italy, but the Rialto Bridge. It is a very small version of the Rialto Bridge. The Bridge of Sighs sounds good, though.
Written 18 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ElaineAndGreg
Chesterland, OH3,089 contributions
Aug 2024 • Couples
What is being referred to as the "Bridge of Sighs" in Oxford is one nice architectural feature in a town with many architectural features. Frankly, it's just a cool architectural feature and worth a photo if the number of tourists permits it.
For what it's worth, you basically walk by this structure as you go around the Oxford campus. As far as we can determine, the inside is not open to the public nor, to our knowledge, is there anything of particular interest inside.
As others have noted, while this has been given the title of "Bridge of Sighs," the actual Bridge of Sighs in Venice (named because it was the last view of Venice convicts saw as they were sent to prison) looks somewhat different, with far fewer windows, a canal underneath, a level floor, and more rounded ceiling arch. Others have likened it more to the much larger Rialto Bridge in Venice, to which it bears a closer resemblance.
Again, for what it's worth, there is also another so-called "Bridge of Sighs" at Cambridge University which is also materially different both from this one and the one in Venice.
In any event, I would consider this worth a few minutes and a photo as you go around the Oxford Campus. It is certainly a nice structure and a civic landmark, but it is not worth very much time. It's basically across the street from the Bodleian Library and just a little further down from the Radcliffe Camera. Please note that the Radcliffe Camera, another easily recognized structure, was undergoing extensive groundwork we were there, complete with fencing and tarps, so it was not at its best.
For what it's worth, you basically walk by this structure as you go around the Oxford campus. As far as we can determine, the inside is not open to the public nor, to our knowledge, is there anything of particular interest inside.
As others have noted, while this has been given the title of "Bridge of Sighs," the actual Bridge of Sighs in Venice (named because it was the last view of Venice convicts saw as they were sent to prison) looks somewhat different, with far fewer windows, a canal underneath, a level floor, and more rounded ceiling arch. Others have likened it more to the much larger Rialto Bridge in Venice, to which it bears a closer resemblance.
Again, for what it's worth, there is also another so-called "Bridge of Sighs" at Cambridge University which is also materially different both from this one and the one in Venice.
In any event, I would consider this worth a few minutes and a photo as you go around the Oxford Campus. It is certainly a nice structure and a civic landmark, but it is not worth very much time. It's basically across the street from the Bodleian Library and just a little further down from the Radcliffe Camera. Please note that the Radcliffe Camera, another easily recognized structure, was undergoing extensive groundwork we were there, complete with fencing and tarps, so it was not at its best.
Written 23 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
miniman2804
Berkshire251 contributions
Feb 2020
It's named after the original in Venice. It's part of Hertford college.Not worth making a special journey to see, but you'll come across it in your trips around the city, as it's just off Broad St by the Kings Arms pub.
Written 25 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
permia
Ireland64,854 contributions
May 2024 • Couples
A delight to see the ornate crossing joining two parts of the college. Reminiscent of its Venetian cousin, hopefully the same sense of foreboding is absent when crossing this one.
Highly ornate it is a landmark, as per its Grade II Listing.
Highly ornate it is a landmark, as per its Grade II Listing.
Written 12 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dean-Traveller
Mugla, TĂĽrkiye1,181 contributions
Jan 2022
The bridge links 2 parts of Hertford College and is known as Bridge of Sighs because it vaguely looks like the bridge of this name in Venice. Oxford's version is much the smaller.
Worth a quick photograph when walking though this area of beautiful historic buildings.
Worth a quick photograph when walking though this area of beautiful historic buildings.
Written 4 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stefan Overton
Colchester, UK229 contributions
Sept 2023 • Couples
Nothing big to look at but definitely something interesting to spot when visiting Oxford.
Pretty bridge that bridges together two buildings.
Great for a snap in front of.
I’m sure they’d be more information on a proper tour however I did not do this.
Worth a view
Pretty bridge that bridges together two buildings.
Great for a snap in front of.
I’m sure they’d be more information on a proper tour however I did not do this.
Worth a view
Written 10 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anneke S
Sommelsdijk, The Netherlands4,994 contributions
June 2024 • Couples
It's a very beautiful structure, running down the New College avenue. You can walk underneath and get photographed a lot. It connects departments of Hertfort college. If you walk under the bridge you come to New College
It looks like the bridge of sighs in Venice
It looks like the bridge of sighs in Venice
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Written 2 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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