The romantic Bridge of Sighs or Ponte dei Sospeiri in Venice is supposedly named for the sad sounds emitted by prisoners on their way to jail via the bridge, as they viewed the city for the last time. But all of us could essentially be viewing the city in its dying throes, according to a new report that says it could become an underwater attraction within the next two centuries. The paper lays out in stark terms the potential impact of rising sea levels on the historic lagoon city, and the extent to which its treasures might be saved.
Venice is considered an architectural chef d’oeuvre, recognised by UNESCO since 1987 for its outstanding universal value as a unique artistic masterpiece and complete medieval ensemble. Structures such as the former seat of power at the Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale) and St. Mark’s Basilica (Basilica di San Marco), a Byzantine gem boasting over 8,000m2 of mosaics, are known and beloved all over the world.
The city is constructed on wood pilings that are sinking into mudflats, a perilous situation that is made worse by the threat of climate change. The latest research, led by scientists at the University of Salento, predicts the sea level could almost double to 81 cm by 2100.
7. "Acqua alta" is the name of a phenomenon which generally takes place in Venice during winter.
— James Lucas (@JamesLucasIT) March 25, 2025
On November 12, 2019, Venice suffered its worst flooding since 1966.
The tide rose to 187cm, submerging over 80% of the city. pic.twitter.com/OgVdkXyc0u
The paper puts forward suggestions for protecting the city from flooding, including some “unprecedented” approaches to safeguarding heritage and social fabric. Flood barriers are one option, encircling the lagoon with coastal dams is another, and a third involves dismantling key artefacts and taking them further inland to preserve them.
The city in fact already has a flood barrier in the shape of Mose, a system of 78 mobile floodgates installed around the lagoon at Lido, Malamocco, and Chioggia. It can withstand up to three metres of floodwaters and works by temporarily isolating the city at high tide.
The MOSE system in Venice, Italy, consists of underwater barriers that are elevated during high water levels to protect the city from flooding. pic.twitter.com/DpvLh2wbaQ
— The Pixie (@i_illuminated) September 24, 2025
But even with further flood protection measures in place, the researchers highlight that while material items might be able to be saved, it could prove harder to preserve the area’s “lagoon-based culture, traditional lifestyles and most economic activities” in the long-term. And on the economics, they estimate that a preservation effort such as the one they describe could cost up to €100 billion.
Worse, the solutions put in place by spending that sum “will not work forever,” according to Piero Lionello, the paper’s lead author. Speaking to The Times he anticipated that generations to follow will probably have to visit the flooded vestiges of Venice by diving or by submarine, because “the future appears unavoidable.”
