The bridge seems to take its name for tow reasons: one, classic, from the name of an ancient family, Maraviglia or Meravegia, who lived in this area for a long time; the other from two popular legends that tel of miraculous events.

The first legend tells that the bridge was built in one night, after the materials to build it were brought in the morning. The day after the materials has disappeared and in their place was the bridge without apparently no one had worked on its construction.

The second tells of a family who lived there and had seven daughters, six beautiful and one ugly. A boatman and sailor began to frequent the house and from that moment he fell ill and became so weak that he could no longer compete and do his job. Thinking it was because of the ugly sister, named Marina, he decided to take revenge and on one evening, taking advantage she was alone in the house, he carried out his plan. Arrived on the bridge he saw Marina from the window praying, kneeling before the crucifix. He raised his eyes and saw six bright stars preceded by a seventh, smaller and dimmer. Soon after, however, the six stars disappeared and remained only the seventh, more vivid and bright. Thinking the sign was related to his situation, he went to question Marina who confessed to be madly in love with him and that she was praying for him to die in his place. The young boatman forgot every motive of revenge and fell in love with her. He recovered, won the next race in which he partecipated and married the girl.

Near the bridge, lokking towards San Trovaso, you can see the facades of three Venetian palaces: Palazzo Bollani, wich today houses the Marco Polo high school

Ca' Bembo, now home of the language sciences department of the University of Venice

and Palazzo Ca' Giustiniani-Recanati, today seat of the Art high school