Almonte River Bridge

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Almonte River Bridge
Puente Rio Almonte
Santiago del Campo, Extremadura, Spain
(312) feet high / (95) meters high
604 foot span / 184 meter span
2006

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Completed in 2006, the Puente Rio Almonte is one of two large arch bridges on the new A-66 Autovia Ruta de la Plata that crosses Spain’s massive Alcántara reservoir. The other crossing is over the Tajo River arm 8 miles (13 kms) to the north.

The elegant and simple design has a nice flow from the consistent use of 22 meter beam spans for most of the bridge length. The northbound viaduct is two spans shorter then the southbound viaduct.

A visit to the Almonte and Tajo arches would not be complete without a stop to see the famous Puente Alcántara. Located at the east end of the reservoir just below the dam, this classic Roman arch crossing is the most important stone bridge ever built in Spain. Completed in the year 106, the bridge measures 164 feet (50 mtrs) from the roadway to the normal water level of the Tagus river. This was enough to make it the highest bridge in the world, exceeding the Pont du Gard in France by just a few feet. For several hundred years it held the height record until Italy’s Ponte Delle Torri of Spoleto surpassed it. Alcántara is not only impressive for its height (which is a full 230 feet / 70 mtrs to the river bed) but for its size with 6 semicircular arches - the largest which spans 94 feet (29 mtrs). The word Alcántara is arabic for bridge.


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Image by Alonsoquijano.


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Almonte River Bridge satellite image.


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Almonte River Bridge location map.