Puente Sampayo Bridge Puente de Puente Sampayo | |
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Coordinates | 42°20′46″N8°36′25″W / 42.345983°N 8.606833°W |
Carries | Pedestrians, cars |
Crosses | Verdugo River |
Locale | between Pontevedra and Soutomaior municipalities, Galicia, Spain |
Characteristics | |
Design | Arch |
Material | Stone |
Total length | 144 m (472 ft) |
Width | 10 m (33 ft) |
History | |
Construction start | 11th century |
Construction end | 18th century |
Location | |
The Puente Sampayo Bridge is a medieval bridge that crosses the Verdugo River between the civil parish of Ponte Sampaio in the municipality of Pontevedra and the civil parish of Arcade in the municipality of Soutomaior [1] in Spain.
The bridge is built on a Roman foundation. [2] The first references to this bridge date back to the 10th and 11th centuries, [3] when it was called "Ponti Sancti Pelagli de Lutto" (Bridge of San Paio de Lodo) and belonged to the Counts of Burgundy. [4] The mythical fortress of San Paio de Lodo was located near this bridge, the place where the armies of Queen Urraca of León and Archbishop Gelmírez fought. In 997, Almanzor crossed it, destroying the fortress that defended it. [5] Anyone wishing to cross the river by the bridge had to pay a toll, but thanks to the archbishop of Santiago de Compostela, Diego Gelmírez, this practice ended in the 12th century.
The bridge witnessed the Battle of Puente Sampayo against the French invasion, which took place on 7 and 8 June 1809 under intense gunfire on both banks of the Verdugo River and in which the French were defeated. [6] [7]
It is a stone bridge 144 metres long [3] and ten metres wide. It has ten pointed arches with large starlings between them. It has a stone parapet [8] and was extensively modified and rebuilt in the 16th and 18th centuries. [4]
The bridge is part of the PO-264 road and belongs to the road network of the Xunta de Galicia. [1] The Portuguese Way to Santiago de Compostela crosses the bridge. [3]
In Pontevedra's Plaza de España stands the monument to the heroes of Puente Sampayo. The central granite part symbolises one of the pillars of the Puente Sampayo bridge, where most of the 1809 battle took place. [6]
Pontevedra is a city in the autonomous community of Galicia, in northwestern Spain. It is the capital of both the Comarca and Province of Pontevedra, and the capital of the Rías Baixas. It is also the capital of its own municipality which is often considered an extension of the actual city.
Ponte Caldelas is a municipality in the province of Pontevedra, in the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain. It belongs to the comarca of Pontevedra. It takes its name from an ancient bridge over the Río Caldelas.
The Battle of Puente Sanpayo or Battle of San Payo took place at Ponte Sampaio, Pontevedra, between 7–9 June 1809 during the Peninsular War.
The Burgo Bridge(Puente del Burgo) is a medieval bridge, built over an older bridge of Roman origin, which crosses the Lérez River in the city of Pontevedra, Spain. It is on the route of the Portuguese Way to the north of the historic centre of Pontevedra and to the south of the Burgo neighbourhood. Between the arches above the pillars are carved the famous stone pilgrim's shells.
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The Monument to the Heroes of Puente Sampayo is a memorial and sculptural group created by the Spanish sculptor Julio González Pola, in Pontevedra, Spain.
The Natural Park of the Marismas de Alba, the Alba Marsh or the Xunqueira de Alba, is a natural park and wetland in the city of Pontevedra in Spain, and one of the few Marshes in the Ria de Pontevedra. It is a park used as a place for walking, cycling and observing the fauna and flora.
The Barca Bridge is a bridge over the Lérez River, at its mouth in the Pontevedra Ria, which connects the city of Pontevedra with the municipality of Poio in Spain.
The Gafos Park is a public park located in Pontevedra, Spain. It is a linear park surrounding the Gafos River, which runs through the south of the city from east to west.
The Plaza de Teucro is a square of medieval origin located in the heart of the old town of Pontevedra (Spain). It is the most harmoniously proportioned medieval square in the city.
Méndez Núñez Square is a square of medieval origin located in the heart of the historic centre of Pontevedra (Spain).
The historic centre of Pontevedra (Spain) is the oldest part of the city. It is the second most important old town in Galicia after Santiago de Compostela, and was declared a historic-artistic complex on 23 February 1951.
O Burgo is a neighbourhood in the city of Pontevedra (Spain). It is one of the oldest neighbourhoods in the city and is crossed by the Portuguese Way. On its right-hand side is the A Xunqueira area with important educational and cultural facilities.
The Convent of St. Francis is a Franciscan convent located in the city centre of Pontevedra (Spain), overlooking the Plaza de la Herrería. The Gothic church of San Francis is attached to the convent on the southeast side.
The Plaza de España is a 19th century pedestrian square located in the city centre of Pontevedra (Spain), on the edge of the old town and the Alameda de Pontevedra.
The Santiago Bridge crosses the Lérez River in the city of Pontevedra (Spain), where the N-550 road runs alongside it. It connects the city centre with the A Xunqueira area and the O Burgo district.
The Plaza del Muelle or Praza do Peirao is a square of medieval origin located at the northern edge of the historic centre of Pontevedra (Spain), very close to the Burgo Bridge and the old port neighbourhood A Moureira.
The Plaza de las Cinco Calles is a square of medieval origin located in the heart of the historic centre of the city of Pontevedra (Spain).
Alonso de Fonseca Square is a medieval square located in the historic centre of the city of Pontevedra (Spain), opposite the Basilica of Saint Mary Major.