Puente Romano, Mérida

Puente Romano
Puente Romano as seen from Alcazaba of Mérida
Coordinates 38°54′47″N 6°21′03″W / 38.91306°N 6.35083°W / 38.91306; -6.35083Coordinates: 38°54′47″N 6°21′03″W / 38.91306°N 6.35083°W / 38.91306; -6.35083
Crosses Guadiana River
Locale Mérida, Spain
Characteristics
Design Arch bridge
Material Granite ashlar
Total length 790 m (incl. approaches)
Width Ca. 7.1 m
Longest span 11.6 m
No. of spans 60 (incl. 3 buried)
History
Construction end Reign of Trajan (98–117 AD)
Puente Romano
Location in Spain

The Puente Romano (Spanish for Roman Bridge) is a Roman bridge over the Guadiana River at Mérida, Spain. It is the world's longest (in terms of distance) surviving bridge from ancient times, having once featured an estimated overall length of 755 m with 62 spans.[1] Today, there are 60 spans (three of which are buried on the southern bank) on a length of 721 m between the abutments. Including the approaches, the structure totals 790 m. It is still in use, but was pedestrianized in 1991 as road traffic was redirected to use the nearby Lusitania Bridge.

Annexed to the bridge is the Alcazaba of Mérida, a Moorish fortification built in 835.

Close to the remains of the Acueducto de los Milagros, there exists another Roman bridge at Mérida, the much smaller Puente de Albarregas.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ O’Connor 1993, pp. 106–107

Sources

  • O’Connor, Colin (1993), Roman Bridges, Cambridge University Press, pp. 106f. (SP15), ISBN 0-521-39326-4

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