The “Ponte dei Pugni” (Bridge of Fists), located in the Dorsoduro district near Campo San Barnaba, owes its name to an old “game” that used to take place annually on a set day between September and Christmas.
Two rival factions — the Castellani and the Nicolotti — identified by differently colored hats and scarves, would face off in a full-on brawl. The goal was to keep as many of your teammates on the bridge as possible while knocking the opponents into the canal (Rio) below — often resulting in serious injuries, and in some cases, even death.
In 1705, after a particularly bloody clash, the tradition was banned.
