Porto is one of the main cities in Portugal. The agglomeration is located around the banks of the Rio Douro. The banks are rocky and high. One of the most remarkable features of Porto is the presence of five high bridges that elegantly span the Rio Douro.
Two of these bridges, the Maria Pia Bridge and the Luís I Bridge, were designed in the same style as the world-famous Eiffel Tower in Paris. The Maria Pia Bridge, was a collaborative effort between Gustave Eiffel himself and his colleague Théophile Seyrig. Similarly, the Luís I Bridge was also designed by Théophile Seyrig.
To see all the bridges of Porto, as well as the colorful banks of the Douro River, we took a ride on a tourist boat – a service that is regularly offered there.
Dom Luís I Bridge (Ponte de Dom Luís I) was built between 1881 and 1886. It is a double-deck metal arch bridge, primarily known for its impressive arch, characteristic of 19th-century engineering. The bridge was designed by Théophile Seyrig, a disciple of Gustave Eiffel. Maria Pia Bridge (Ponte Maria Pia) was built between 1876 and 1877. It is wrought iron railway arch bridge. At the time of its construction, it was celebrated for having the world’s longest arch span. ustave Eiffel, in collaboration with his business partner Théophile Seyrig, designed this bridge. It’s one of Eiffel’s earlier works, predating his famous tower in Paris. São João Bridge (Ponte de São João) completed in 1991, it replaced the old Maria Pia Bridge for railway traffic. It’s a modern concrete and steel bridge, notable for its sleek design and the use of modern construction techniques. The bridge is exclusively for railway use. The bridge was designed by Edgar Cardoso. Arrábida Bridge (Ponte da Arrábida) was built between 1957 and 1963. The bridge is known for its reinforced concrete arch, which was the largest of its kind in the world at the time of its completion. Edgar Cardoso also designed this bridge. Infante D. Henrique Bridge (Ponte do Infante) was opened in 2003, this bridge was constructed as part of Porto’s urban redevelopment efforts for the Porto 2001 European Capital of Culture celebrations. The bridge features a modern design with a concrete deck supported by a single large arch. The design was a collaboration between the engineer Adão da Fonseca and the architect António Reis.