The Bridge of Sighs is a covered skyway that connects two university buildings. Its intriguing architecture has made it a popular spot for sightseers over the past century. Make your way to the fascinating site and take photos of the bridge with the Sheldonian Theatre serving as an impressive backdrop.
Students use the bridge daily as they make their way from the old to the new quadrangles of Hertford College. The building to the north consists mostly of student accommodation, whereas the southern structure houses administrative offices. The bridge was built in 1914 by architect Thomas Graham Jackson. The site is officially known as Hertford Bridge, but is thought to have taken its other name from the Bridge of Sighs in Venice. However, the designs of the two bridges actually have very little in common.
Admire the design of the bridge, noting the varying shapes of its elegant windows and the coat of arms at its centre. While you are free to inspect the bridge from street level, you must be a student of Hertford College to walk over the bridge.
Walk past the bridge several times in the day to see it in different lights. Visit it in the evening, when it has a romantic ambiance with the lights turned on inside. There are several other landmarks nearby including the Radcliffe Camera, as well as a couple of pubs and cafés, where you can take a break and look through your photos of the university grounds.
The Bridge of Sighs is based next to the Bodleian Library in Hertford College, part of the University of Oxford. Ride the bus and get off at the High Street, which is just a 2-minute walk from the bridge. Nearby attractions include the Sheldonian Theatre and the University Church of St. Mary the Virgin.
