Hauts Lieux›All places›Douro Litoral (Portugal)
Medieval bridgeDouro Litoral (Portugal)
Ponte Dom Luís I
Porto / Vila Nova de Gaia
Dimensions
385 m long, metal arch spanning 172 m, rising 45 m above the Douro
Period
Built from 1881 to 1886 (upper deck), lower deck opened in 1888
What stands there
the upper deck now carries the Porto metro and pedestrians
This double-deck metal bridge spanning the Douro between Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia was designed by the Belgian engineer Theophile Seyrig, a former collaborator of Gustave Eiffel — a fact often wrongly simplified into 'a bridge built by Eiffel.' Pilgrims on the Caminho Portugues cross it to link the two banks while passing through Porto. The structure is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Porto's historic center.
Getting there : Free access, free crossing on foot on both decks
Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.
Ambient sound
Nearby
- Sé do Porto (cathédrale de Porto)Cathedral · Porto · 0.3 km
- Catedral de Santa María de TuiCathedral · Tui · 101 km
- Sé Velha de Coimbra (ancienne cathédrale de Coimbra)Cathedral · Coimbra · 105 km
- Basílica de Santa María a Maior de PontevedraChurch · Pontevedra · 144 km
- Catedral de San Martiño de OurenseCathedral · Ourense · 147 km
- Sanctuaire de Notre-Dame de FátimaChurch · Fátima · 168 km
This place in the great stories
- The Ways of St James: from the tomb in Galicia to the four routes of FranceTomb recognised c. 820-830; first known pilgrim (Godescalc of Le Puy) in 950-951; Book of…