Oh yes Madrid has bridges as any city with a river going thru such as the Manzanares. I like to tell you about one of them with a post of its won, well deserve , me think in my dear Madrid , There are about 33 bridges (last I count them ) some are pedestrians , others for trains transport, and even fewer are for automobiles. Therefore, on this post let me tell uou about the Puente de Toledo of Madrid !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
Another of my most favorite bridges is the puente de Toledo built on a barroque style between 1718 and 1732. It spans both banks of the Manzanares river crossing the Glorieta de Pirámides, on the east side and the Glorieta del Marqués de Vadillo,on the west side. The origin of the construction dates from the 17C when king Felipe IV had in mind connect Madrid with the road to Toledo by building a bridge over the Manzanares river . The first project was done between 1649 and 1660, when it was known as the Puente Toledana. However, flooding in the river destroyed the bridge a bit later and a new one was schedule from 1671. By 1680, recently finished the new bridge another flooding destroyed it. This time the design for rebuilding it was done in 1682 with the basic lines of the project done in 1684. The new bridge was finally ordered built in 1715. However, the project really did not started than on 1718 and work began in 1719 until completion in 1732. In 1972, under the project of the beltway M-30, worked began on two lateral bridges that allowed to free the puente de Toledo from the heavy traffic that was supporting. In 2007, the M-30 underground process recovered the entire riverbank for the use and enjoyment of pedestrians. In the course of these works, archaeological remains of what seem to be six batteries with the start of the arches were discovered, of which only two remain, of the old Toledo bridge. They are located downstream of the current one, at a level of 8 meters below the current road, and they are studied to keep them in the same place once restored, as well as the landscaping of the entire area under the bridge.
This lateral bridges Puente de Toledo have a central area compose of nine arches on half point with solid columns . The central frame has 4,95 meter wide and on it you find decorated templates in churrigueres elements having statues in chalk stone of the patron Saints of Madrid ,San Isidro Labrador ,and Santa María de la Cabeza, done in 1723. On each extreme of the frame you have ramps that connect on each side and on the Glorieta de Pirámides ,you have obelisks from the 19C on the north side as well as two fountains on the closest side to the city. The Glorieta de Piràmides or roundabout joints with that Glorieta del Marqués de Vadillo, which gives access to the Carabanchel neighborhood. The Puente de Toledo measures 180 meters long and consists of nine eyes, with its corresponding semicircular arches. Two fountains are added, on the north side, of the four that were initially designed. The fountains are also very decorated, although their forms, such as niches, are very worn by the passage of time.
The Madrid tourist office on the Puente de Toledo: https://www.esmadrid.com/en/tourist-information/puente-de-toledo
There you go folks,a special bridge of my dear Madrid, An awesome City with its monument and history we love, Again, hope you enjoy this post on the Puente de Toledo as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 