Roman Bridge of Cordoba

Roman Bridge of Cordoba

The Roman Bridge of Cordoba or Old Bridge, as the elders continue to call it, is a recently restored monument of great importance in the city. Do you want to know its history, its surroundings and some curiosities? I invite you to keep reading …

Contenidos

Roman bridge history

The Roman Bridge was built in the first century before Christ. With solid foundations and surrounding materials, the only bridge across the Guadalquivir River was made. Until very recently, the only way to cross the river was by boats or wooden bridges. We also know that the Via Augusta passed through this bridge.

It is a walkway that measures 331 meters and is composed of 16 arches, although originally it was 17. There are many transformations that have been made over the centuries, we must take into account that it was the only step into the city from the south Of the peninsula.

Bridge Remodeling

After more than 20 centuries, the Roman Bridge has undergone numerous modifications. It is in the time of Muslim domination when its first important reconstruction is dated. In addition, the Bridge was the passage to the Calahorra Tower, a building strategically built for the defense of the city.

Already in our day, it has been used as a step of the national highway IV, the main road connection of the north and south of Spain. Towards the year 2006 the gangway to the traffic was cut to realize a great reform. What you can see now is the result of the complete restoration of the Bridge, a work by the architect Juan Cuenca Montilla.

Curiosities of the bridge

One of the curiosities that is barely mentioned is the great controversy that was created since its last restoration. This reform completely changed the image we had the Cordoba from the Bridge. What gave the most talk is the pink granite of the pavement, a type of flooring that moves far away from the original Roman road.

The Roman Bridge, for its iconic image has been used in the cinema by several famous films. One of them is Carmen de Vicente Aranda, who used the area around the Bridge as some of her scenarios.

Another of the most famous shootings that has been enhanced in the Bridge is that of several chapters of the famous Game of Thrones series. Although with some transformations, the Old Bridge has become somewhat more famous thanks to this series.

Bridge environment

The Environment of the Bridge is the area that includes the Bridge itself, the Calahorra Tower and the Bridge Gate. This area was declared a Property of Cultural Interest in 1931. We can also say that it is part of the historic center of Córdoba, which in 1994 was declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco.

Another attraction of the Roman Bridge is that it is located within the natural monument the Sotos de la Albolafia. A natural area of distressing two hectares where a large number of birds live, some of them in danger of extinction. There are several mills that can be seen in the area, one of them, the Molino de la Albolafia, is the one that appears in Cordoba’s coat of arms.

How can you see, the Roman Bridge is a construction with a lot of history, in which you can enjoy a magnificent natural and monumental area.