Mighty Roman Bridge of Cordoba in Spain

Just before exiting Cordoba we paused to have a good look at the Roman Bridge and the surrounding areas.

Roman Bridge of Cordoba Spain

This mighty structure existing from 1st century BC took our breath away. Beneath the Roman Bridge, tamed for centuries by this bridge, River Guadalquivir silently flowed by. The name of the river comes from the Arabic al-wadi al-kabir, meaning – great river. It is the second longest river of Spain.

Look beyond the bridge to see the Calahorra Tower. This too is of Islamic origin.

The arches of the old bridge seemed most majestic; there are 16 of them. This Roman Bridge of Cordoba has undergone several reconstructions and renovations over the centuries. Only 14 and 15th arch belongs to the original structure. Those are typical Moorish architectural style and add to unusual beauty of the bridge.

Roman-Bridge-Cordoba-Spain

Total length – 247m
Width – 9m.

Additions to the Bridge

Some artistic additions have been added to the bridge. Notable among them is sculpture of St. Raphael added to the eastern side in 17th century. It was made by Renaissance sculptor Bernabé Gómez del Rio.

Islamic Water Wheel in Cordoba

From the road we could spot a restored Islamic water wheel. May be in the medieval times it raised water to the Caliph’s Palace and the famous Mezquita Mosque. The mills worked on the water force of Guadalquivir River to grind flour.

Islamic water wheel near old bridge

Mills of the Guadalquivir, in Cordoba Spain.

Islamic water wheel Cordoba

Islamic water wheel Cordoba near Roman Bridge.

It’s the ruined Albolafia noria, one among the last vestiges of mills, dams, flood protection and canals that the Umayyads built between 8th and 10th centuries. There are several mills along the banks of the Guadalquivir, now named as Mills of the Guadalquivir. They have declared these watermills as an Andalusian Historical Heritage site.

History from wiki

The bridge was built by the Romans in the early 1st century BC, perhaps replacing a previous one in wood. It currently, after the Islamic reconstruction, has 16 arcades, one less than original ones, and a total length of 247 meters. The width is around 9 meters.

The Via Augusta, which connected Rome to Cádiz, most likely passed through it. During the early Islamic domination the Muslim governor Al-Samh ibn Malik al-Khawlani ordered a bridge to be built on the ruins of what was left of the old Roman construction.

In the Middle Ages, the Calahorra Tower and the Puerta del Puente were built at the bridge’s southern and northern ends, respectively (the latter is now a 16th-century reconstruction). The bridge was reconstructed and expanded to its current size.

The arches depict the famous Moorish architecture that dominates the city’s scenery. In the 17th century, a sculpture depicting St. Raphael was put in the mid of the bridge, executed by Bernabé Gómez del Río.

During its history, the bridge was restored and renovated several times (in particular in the 10th century), and now only the 14th and 15th arches (counting from the Puerta del Puente) are original. It was extensively restored in 2006.

Interesting update:

In season five of Game of Thrones, the Roman Bridge of Cordoba doubled as The Long Bridge of Volantis spanning the mouth of the Rhoyne River.

Roman Bridge Cordoba Spain

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