By Santiago Agueda Alonso – Wikimedia

Top 10 Bridges to see in Madrid


 

Madrid has beautiful architecture both from the medieval era and modern ones too. This is not restricted to its buildings only but has been extended to the bridges in the city.

There are different types here such as Roman bridges, footbridges, toll bridges and even hanging bridges. All of them are spectacular, unique and have a character that you cannot ignore.

While there are a ton of things to do in Madrid, let me draw your attention to the top 10 bridges you need to see while in Madrid. You can also check out our previous blog on the top 10 Brunches in Madrid.

1. Puente de la Culebra (Snake Bridge)

Snake bridge By Riozujar – Wikimedia

We begin with this 18th-century pedestrian footbridge that was constructed to limit access by the commoners to the royal hunting reserve of Casa de Campo. It was commissioned by King Charles III.

This bridge sits above Meaques stream and got its name from the shallow twisting path of the bridge that mimics a snake.

The snake bridge is close to the Colonia Jardin metro station at the start of Prado Rodajos road.

A close look at the bridge, you will notice Italian influence through the baroque style. The bridge consists of red brick arches and granite walkways and walls. This is one of the only two remaining bridges that was constructed in the 18th century.

2. Paloma Footbridge

Next is the Paloma Footbridge which is a remarkable construction that is used by pedestrians across a busy urban motorway.

This bridge is 191 metres long and was designed by Cesma Ingenieros and engineered by Ines Ingenieros. It was completed in October 2010.

If you are an architecture enthusiast, this bridge will most definitely fascinate you.

It has four spans that arc through a 90-degree curve to rise to 8 metres above the ground. This allows for vehicular traffic to flow with ease.

This design makes Paloma footbridge unique with its horizontal trusses on a 4-metre tall C cross-section.

3. Puente de Toledo

Toledo Bridge By Vvlasenko – Wikimedia

The Toledo bridge is baroque-style crossing the Manzanares River. Construction of this 180-metre-long bridge began in 1719 and was completed in 1724 by Pedro de Ribera.

The bridge has nine mid-point spans made of granite ashlars. There are several arcs on the pavement with two pavilion-shaped sections on either side of the central arch house.

The two sculptures, San Isidro and Santa Maria de la Cabeza were made by Juan Ron. Walking on this bridge feels like being in an open-air museum.

The top part of the bridge has several ornaments such as gargoyles, mouldings, reliefs and vases. The walls of the bridge feature rosettes, fallen leaves, vases, shields, crosses, and children’s faces.

4. Arganzuela Footbridge

The other bridge to see while in Madrid is the Arganzuela footbridge. Its design depicts two conical shapes with two halves of the bridges meeting on the east side of the river on a small hill and at the high point of the bridge.

This steel bridge creates an illusion of it floating mid-air and is supported by two pillars on either side. The foundation of the bridge lies in the new parkland that can be accessed through several entries points one being in the middle of the bridge.

Arganzuela footbridge is 250 metres long and is 5 metres wide at its narrow ends and 12 metres wide at the centre.

5. Puente Segovia

Segovia Bridge in Madrid By Tiia Monto-Wikimedia

Puente Segovia is the oldest bridge that crosses over the Manzanares river. It dates back to the reign of King Felipe II.

It was constructed by the King’s most experienced architect, Don Juan de Herrera. He built the bridge using granites and included semi-circular arches that get smaller in size from the centre of the bridge.

It was declared as a Site of Cultural Interest in 1996 by the government.

The Bridge has undergone several renovations throughout its history, with the intervention of distinguished architects. Some of them include Gabinete de Accesos y Extrarradio, Jefatura de Obras Públicas.

6. Puente De Los Franceses

This bridge’s original name was not Los Franceses, but the locals christened it this name due to the nationality of its builders. It was built by the French in the 19th century using red bricks and granite, this was done to the railway’s access to the city. You will find this bridge at the Principe Pio station.

There are five semi-circular arches on the bridge, three of which are built into the riverbed.

7. Puente De La Reina Victoria

By Luis García,-Wikimedia

This bridge was built in the early 20th century and is a reinforced-concrete bridge with modernist touches. It was popularly known as Queen’s bridge after the Queen of England.

Its construction replaced Florida Green Bridge, which was named after the colour of its railings. It was built in 1728 by Pedro de Ribera, a Spanish architect.

It, however, got destroyed by a flood in 1906 and a year later the project for a new bridge began to be designed.

The bridge connects the streets of Aniceto Marina with the River del Manzanares.

8. Twin Bridges: Matadero and Invernadero

These are two identical bridges that cross Madrid Rio and leading to the former Madrid slaughterhouse. They were transformed into a cultural space where one can visit to see art exhibitions and shows.

The bridges are built out of concrete and their arches have been decorated with mosaics done by Daniel Canogar.

They were constructed as part of a 2003 project to refurbish old spaces and create an urban park accessible to the public while enjoying views of river Manzanares.

9. El Capricho Park Iron Bridge

The Parque de El Capricho is a park and there is a bridge within it by the same name in Madrid. This park was the creation of Maria Josefa Pimentel, who was the duchess of Osuna between 1752 and 1834.

This beautiful park’s landscape style is from the 18th century with English influence such as hermit’s house, a lake and a maze.

Within the bridge is the iron pedestrian bridge that crosses over the small stream in the park. It was the first iron bridge to be constructed in Spain in 1830.

10. Arroyo del Valle Viaduct

By Mariano Alvalro-Wikimedia

Last, on our list, today is the Arroyo del Valle viaduct which is high-speed railway infrastructure constructed with 80m high piers. It is the longest concrete deck in Europe, measuring 1.8 kilometres, with 27 spans that measure 66m and central span that is 132m long.

The railway track is 3 kilometres long and allows a running speed of 310 km/h.

The ministry of public works commissioned the construction of this bridge in 2004. It won the best public works award in the Region of Madrid.

Planning a trip to Paris ? Get ready !


These are Amazon’s best-selling travel products that you may need for coming to Paris.

Bookstore

  1. The best travel book : Rick Steves – Paris 2023 – Learn more here
  2. Fodor’s Paris 2024 – Learn more here

Travel Gear

  1. Venture Pal Lightweight Backpack – Learn more here
  2. Samsonite Winfield 2 28″ Luggage – Learn more here
  3. Swig Savvy’s Stainless Steel Insulated Water Bottle – Learn more here

Check Amazon’s best-seller list for the most popular travel accessories. We sometimes read this list just to find out what new travel products people are buying.