It is located on the Lima River, parish of Ponte de Lima, Vila de Ponte de Lima, district of Viana do Castelo, Northern Portugal
The ex-libris of Ponte de Lima, which together with the river that bathes the town, gave the name to the town and its bridge.
History of Ponte de Lima Roman Bridge
The Roman Bridge of Ponte de Lima dates back to the period of the Roman invasion of the Iberian peninsula, having been built possibly in the 1st century under the government of Emperor Augustus.
The Roman bridge probably dates back to the 1st century when the route of one of the military roads of the ancient "Conventus Bracaraugustanus" that connected Braga to Astorga and Via XIX was opened by Emperor Augustus.
In the Middle Ages it was possibly rebuilt when the village received the charter from D. Teresa de Leão on March 4, 1125.
Regarding the medieval part, you can go back to the reigns of D. Pedro I and D. Fernando due to a direct connection to the construction of the walls and towers that fortified the town, completed in 1370 or even D. Dinis.
Documentation from the time refers to a wooden bridge during the reign of D. Manuel I because he ordered new paving and placement of merlons to decorate the bridge as they were no longer justified as a defensive and military option (1504).
The Roman bridge probably dates back to the 1st century when the route of one of the military roads of the ancient "Conventus Bracaraugustanus" that connected Braga to Astorga and Via XIX was opened by Emperor Augustus.
In the Middle Ages it was possibly rebuilt when the village received the charter from D. Teresa de Leão on March 4, 1125.
Regarding the medieval part, you can go back to the reigns of D. Pedro I and D. Fernando due to a direct connection to the construction of the walls and towers that fortified the town, completed in 1370 or even D. Dinis.
Documentation from the time refers to a wooden bridge during the reign of D. Manuel I because he ordered new paving and placement of merlons to decorate the bridge as they were no longer justified as a defensive and military option (1504).
Characteristics of Ponte de Lima Roman Bridge
The Bridge is made up of two distinct sections, one Roman and the other medieval, located directly on alluvial land over the River Lima connecting the left bank of the river to the right bank known as Além do Rio.
The medieval section has a rampant deck resting on fifteen visible pointed arches, one of them with a sill with prismatic cutwaters on the upstream side and quadrangular ones on the opposite side, topped by eyelets also with pointed arches.
A set formed by two bridges: a larger medieval section that begins on the left bank and extends to the Church of Santo António da Torre Velha and passes through two arches.
The section of the Roman bridge contains only five arches which is on a dry bed and if you go down you will see the foundations of the Old Tower which is the first of the medieval defensive system.
The stone masonry bridge rises over 27 arches and has two distinct sections: the Roman one on the right bank of the river with 7 arches and is covered by the massif where the Church of Santo António da Torre Velha stands and the medieval part with 17 arches and 2 of them buried.
The deck has a flagged floor, on the side with drainage drains directed towards the cannon gargoyles, which are arranged irregularly.
To the north of the medieval section there remains the base of one of the towers that fortified it advancing downstream, with a quadrangular plan and body ending at the level of the board's guard.
Starting from the tower, the Roman section of the very simple, deck bridge rests on seven round arches arranged irregularly and with different span widths.
The arches have a rustic device and also denote the forxes to lift the stones and the seventh arch, to the north, and on the upstream side, is blocked by the massif on which the Church of Santo António da Torre Velha stands and the next one, but on the downstream side, is also blocked, leaving only five arches visible.
The medieval section has a rampant deck resting on fifteen visible pointed arches, one of them with a sill with prismatic cutwaters on the upstream side and quadrangular ones on the opposite side, topped by eyelets also with pointed arches.
A set formed by two bridges: a larger medieval section that begins on the left bank and extends to the Church of Santo António da Torre Velha and passes through two arches.
The section of the Roman bridge contains only five arches which is on a dry bed and if you go down you will see the foundations of the Old Tower which is the first of the medieval defensive system.
The stone masonry bridge rises over 27 arches and has two distinct sections: the Roman one on the right bank of the river with 7 arches and is covered by the massif where the Church of Santo António da Torre Velha stands and the medieval part with 17 arches and 2 of them buried.
The deck has a flagged floor, on the side with drainage drains directed towards the cannon gargoyles, which are arranged irregularly.
To the north of the medieval section there remains the base of one of the towers that fortified it advancing downstream, with a quadrangular plan and body ending at the level of the board's guard.
Starting from the tower, the Roman section of the very simple, deck bridge rests on seven round arches arranged irregularly and with different span widths.
The arches have a rustic device and also denote the forxes to lift the stones and the seventh arch, to the north, and on the upstream side, is blocked by the massif on which the Church of Santo António da Torre Velha stands and the next one, but on the downstream side, is also blocked, leaving only five arches visible.
Classification of Ponte de Lima Roman Bridge
The Roman Bridge of Ponte de Lima has been classified as a National Monument since 1910.
