More than 2,000 years after its construction, the Puente Romano is still in use. Cross the Guadiana River on this ancient bridge. This was one of the first Roman structures to be built in Mérida and it is one of the longest Roman bridges surviving in the modern world.
During Roman times, Puente Romano was of strategic importance, vital for trade and for defense of the city. Today, it connects the old and new parts of the city and is for pedestrian use only. To protect the ancient structure’s future, vehicles were banned from using it in the early 1990s and restricted to the nearby newly constructed Puente Lusitania. Before walking over the long crossing, take a moment to admire its form from a riverbank.
The bridge stretches for more than 2,300 feet (700 meters) and is about 40 feet (12 meters) above the waterline. It is made of concrete covered with granite blocks and features 60 semicircular arches. A few arches at the ends of the bridge are from the original structure. The rest have been rebuilt on numerous occasions after damage caused by war and flooding. See the gaps between the arches. These are overflow channels, designed to prevent flooding during periods of heavy rainfall.
Access the bridge for free. It is always open. As you make your way across, pause to enjoy the views, which include Puente Lusitania and the 9th-century Alcazaba, an Arab fortification. Get a different view with a walk on La Isla, a long series of islands below the bridge stretching along the eastern bank of the Guadiana River.
Puente Romano is part of the Archeological Ensemble of Mérida, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993. The collection also includes the Roman Amphitheatre, the Acueducto de los Milagros and the Circo Romano. The bridge is located in southwest Mérida, about a 5-minute walk from the Plaza de España. Among the nearby sites of interest that are within easy walking distance are the remains of the Alcazaba, the Roman Theatre and the Temple of Diana.
