Roman bridge of Córdoba
The Roman bridge of Córdoba is in the Historic centre of Córdoba, Andalusia, southern Spain
It was originally built in the early 1st century across the Guadalquivir river and has been reconstructed at various times.
It is known locally as the "Old Bridge" because for two thousand years it was the city's only bridge across the river, until the construction of the San Rafael Bridge in the mid-twentieth century.
Most of the present structure dates from reconstruction by the Arabs in the 8th century. It is part of the historic centre of Cordoba.
It is included in the preserved area known as Sotos de la Albolafia. Since 1931, the bridge, together with the Puerta del Puente and the Calahorra tower, has been declared a Bien de Interés Cultural in the monument category.
It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1984.
History
The bridge was built by the Romans in the early 1st century BC, perhaps replacing a previous wooden one. After the Islamic reconstruction its shape had 16 arcades, one fewer than originally, 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 Umayyad dynasty's designated 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 bridge was reconstructed and expanded to its current size. The arches depict the Islamic architecture that dominated the city's scenery. In the 17th century, a sculpture depicting St. Raphael was put in the middle of the bridge, executed by Bernabé Gómez del Río.
During its history, the bridge was restored and renovated several times, and now only the 14th and 15th arches are original.