Another memorable City of Valencia in my dear Spain, If read my blog you know coming here since as a boy came from Madrid to visit my aunt just south at El Saler , and of course, the trips always included a visit to the city. I came later once living in France, the idea of coming back for the memories got me and glad now to find new pictures in my cd rom vault that should be in my blog for you and me. Therefore, here is my take on the Puente del Real of Valencia !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I
The Puente del Real or Royal Bridge is located spanning the old Turia riverbed. Its architectural style is Valencian Gothic. The first documentary reference we have to the existence of a bridge in this location is a proclamation dated October 16, 1321, and a letter addressed by the city councilors to King James II, describing a flood that damaged some arches of the Puente del Real and the Puente de Serranos. The great flood of 1517 had previously swept it away, and in August 1528 it sank, partly due to the weight of the immense crowd that was going to gather to see the arrival of Emperor (king Carlos III) V. The Puente del Real is located where, at the beginning of the Reconquista, a wooden bridge existed serving the Convent of Santo Domingo. After successive floods of the Turia River, the old bridge deteriorated and, with the flood of 1517, it was rendered unusable. In 1518, the idea arose to build a stone bridge, The current bridge was started construction by 1589,
The Puente del Real bridge was completed hastily in 1598 for the wedding of Felipe (Philip) III to Archduchess Margaret of Austria. At the same time, the Temple Gate, or Bab el Shadchar, was closed and the new Royal Gate was opened. A replica as the original was demolished in 1868, but can now be seen in the Puerta de la Mar square , The Royal Bridge connected one of the most important areas of the city, with the Royal Palace, its gardens, and the Paseo del Prado ,today the Alameda. The
Puente del Real 171-meter length is built of ashlar masonry, it consists of ten arches. Its silhouette is highlighted by carefully crafted triangular cutwaters, upon two of which rise small shrines These shrines house the statues of Saint Vincent Ferrer and Saint Vincent Martyr. The original shrines were demolished in 1936, and the current ones are replicas of the originals: the former in December 1945 and the latter in January 1946. They were restored in 2016, bringing back the chromatic contrast between the stones, which had been lost due to pollution. Saint Vincent Ferrer, is a revered Saint in Brittany , France and his body rests at the St Peters Cathedral of Vannes near me! Patron of the Valencian community region canonized by the Pope Calixto III , the Spanish Alfonso Borja. The bridge’s width was increased to six traffic lanes, maintaining the same lateral appearance as the previous one. The new width of the bridge is now 27.30 meters, and it was inaugurated on February 28, 1968, after the removal of the steps leading down to the riverbed. Although the extension was carried out preserving its style and rich Baroque ornamentation,
The Valencia tourist office on the Turia natural park: https://www.visitvalencia.com/en/what-to-do-valencia/nature-in-valencia/turia-nature-park
The city of Valencia on the Puente del Real: https://www.valencia.es/-/infociudad-puente-del-real
The Autonomus community of Valencia region on the Puente del Real : https://www.comunitatvalenciana.com/es/valencia/siete-aguas/monumentos/puente-real-y-concegil
There you go folks, another dandy in beautiful Valencia all of it worth the detour, me think. The bridge is pretty and surrounded by beautiful new Turia riverbed park and garden, Again,hope you enjoy this post on the Puente del Real of Valencia !!! as I.
And remember, happy travels , good health, and many cheers to all !!!
