Bridges in Porto
One thing that Porto beats its eternal rival Lisbon for is bridges. Porto presently has six bridges across the River Douro whereas the capital has just two spanning the River Tagus - the Ponte 25 de Abril (25th of April Bridge) and the massive Vasco da Gama Bridge.
The most famous of Porto's bridges is the historic Ponte Dom Luís I but the other five also have their history and charms.
They are from east to west the Ponte do Freixo, the Ponte de São João Bridge, the Ponte de Dona Maria Pia, the Ponte do Infante and the Ponte da Arrábida.
The Ponte Dom Luís I lies between the modern Ponte da Arrábida and the Ponte do Infante.
Ponte Dom Luís I
The Ponte Dom Luís I is a true icon of the city of Porto and a marvel of 19th century engineering. The Dom Luís I Bridge spans the River Douro between Porto on the north bank and Vila Nova de Gaia on the south bank.
Designed by German architect, Téophile Seyrig (1843-1923), a disciple and business partner of French engineer Alexandre Gustave Eiffel (of Eiffel Tower fame), the Ponte Dom Luís I had the longest span of any metal bridge in the world when it was completed in 1886.
Originally meant for road traffic, now the upper span carries Line D of the Porto metro and a pedestrian walkway, while the lower deck is for road traffic and pedestrians with no fear of vertigo.
There are wonderful views over the 18th century skyline of Porto including Porto Cathedral and the Torre dos Clerigos from the top deck and from near Jardim do Morro metro station.
Ponte Maria Pia
Téophile Seyrig also built the similar looking Ponte Maria Pia, a kilometer to the east. It is a former iron railway bridge built in 1877 but is no longer used as such.
The bridge is 353 meters long and 60 meters above the river. It is the oldest of Porto's six bridges and was named after the Portuguese queen at the time.
Rail services ceased in 1991 and moved to the São João Bridge. The bridge was not demolished but preserved as a landmark of the city.
Ponte de São João
The Ponte de São João replaced the Ponte Maria Pia to carry the railway across the River Douro. It was designed by Portuguese architect and engineer Edgar Cardoso (1913-2000) and built in prestressed concrete between 1984 and 1991. The bridge has a total span of 250 meters across the river and is 66 meters above the water.
Ponte da Arrábida
The Ponte da Arrábida was also designed by Edgar Cardoso. When it opened in 1963 it had the longest arch of any concrete bridge in the world at 270 meters. A road bridge with six lanes, it is the nearest bridge to the mouth of the River Douro and the Atlantic Ocean. It rises 70 meters above the river.
The Arrábida Bridge is convenient for reaching the pleasant district of Afurada and its traditional seafood restaurants on the south bank. There are pedestrian walkways on either side of the bridge.
Ponte do Freixo
The sleek Ponte do Freixo is 705 meters in length and 30 meters above the river. Completed in 1995 the road bridge has 8 spans and was designed by António Reis and Daniel de Sousa.
Ponte do Infante
The Ponte do Infante (Ponte Infante Dom Henrique) is the most recent bridge across the River Douro. 371 meters in total length, the arch spans 280 meters and is 75 meters above the water. Completed in 2003 the reinforced concrete bridge carries both vehicles and pedestrians. The arch is one of the shallowest in the world just 25 meters above its foundations. The architect was Adão da Fonseca.
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