Roman Bridge of Córdoba

The Roman bridge, also known as the Old Bridge, since it was the only one that the city had for several centuries.

The Roman bridge dates from the first century after Christ, coinciding with the era of Roman domination in the city of Córdoba. It is located on the Guadalquivir River, joining with its 331 meters in length, the two parts of the city. Currently, the Roman bridge is composed of 16 arches, although originally it had 17 in total. It was a very important route in Roman times, since it was probably part of the Via Augusta that went from Cádiz to Rome.

This Córdoba bridge, has at its ends two monuments of great tourist interest. On the one hand, on the opposite side of the Mosque, we find the Calahorra tower, which was a defense tower on the outskirts of the city. On the other side, we see the bridge gate. This door, has a very curious anecdote, since all the Cordoba people mistakenly call it the Arc de Triomphe, although it was simply one of the doors of the ancient Roman wall that surrounded the city.

In the center of the bridge, there is a sculpture dating from 1651. The sculptor Bernabé Gómez del Río, created the triumph of San Rafael’s oldest city. San Rafael, is the archangel of Cordoba, and as such, you can always find in front of his sculpture, numerous lighted candles as well as floral offerings.

Currently, and after the reform initiated in 2004, the Roman bridge of Cordoba is a pedestrian traffic, allowing all visitors to enjoy unique views of the city. In addition, on both sides of the bridge are the Sotos de la Albolafia, declared a natural monument, where more than 120 different bird species nest.