In the 17th century, autumn in Venice was fighting season. For many reasons, be they clashing romantic interests or trade squabbles, men would meet on neighbourhood bridges in order to settle the issue with their fists. These fisticuffs weren’t approved by the law enforcement, but they were deemed much better than the sharpened stick fights that were the norm previously. The most famous of these bridges was Ponte dei Pugni, near Campo Santa Barnaba in Dorsoduro. Today four white marble footprints mark the position from where the fighters would begin.
