The Ponte de Ourense

About this heritage

The Ponte Maior de Ourense, also known as Ponte Romana or Ponte Vella, is one of the great symbols of the city and one of the most outstanding engineering works of antiquity in Galicia. Its origin dates back to the 1st century, when it was part of the Roman Vía Nova, which connected Bracara Augusta (Braga) with Asturica Augusta (Astorga). The bridge stands out for its monumental central arch, which for centuries was the largest span of all Roman stone bridges, reaching 44 meters and rising almost 38 meters above the Miño river.

Over the centuries, the Ponte Maior has undergone numerous renovations, especially after the collapse of its main arch in the 12th century. The medieval reconstruction, completed in the 17th century under the direction of Melchor de Velasco Agüero, gave it its current appearance, although it still retains original Roman elements in the initial arches. The bridge, which once had eleven arches and today preserves seven, was for centuries an important communication hub and a driving force for the development of Ourense.

Declared a historic monument in 1961, since its pedestrianization in 1989 it is one of the three great emblems of the city, along with Las Burgas and the Cathedral of San Martiño. Next to the bridge is the chapel of los Remedios and, formerly, a picota or pelouriño, symbol of medieval justice.

To learn more

Did you know that in Ourense there is a very old bridge called Ponte Maior or Ponte Romana? The Romans built it almost two thousand years ago to cross the Miño river and connect different cities. The bridge is huge: it has very tall arches and one of them was the largest of all Roman stone bridges.

Over time, the bridge broke and was repaired many times, which is why it now mixes Roman and medieval parts. In the past, carts, soldiers, and merchants passed through here, and it was very important for the city. Today only pedestrians can cross it, and it is one of the most beautiful places in Ourense. Next to the bridge there is a small chapel and, formerly, there was a column where those who did bad things were punished.

To know it better

The Ponte Maior de Ourense, also identified as Ponte Romana or Ponte Vella, is one of the most relevant road infrastructures in the northwestern peninsula, originating in the 1st century as part of branch XVIII of the Antonine Itinerary. Its central arch, with a span of 44 meters and a height of almost 38 meters, surpassed all similar structures of the Empire, both in stone and wood, and was considered for centuries the largest in Spain until the 19th century.

The bridge currently preserves seven of the original eleven arches, after successive reconstructions following the collapse of the main arch in the 12th century and medieval renovations completed in the 17th century under the direction of Melchor de Velasco Agüero. Its current morphology is predominantly medieval, although it maintains Roman elements such as the springing arches. The structure was reinforced by a defensive tower until the 19th century and, at its urban end, it leads to the Gothic chapel of los Remedios (1522), restored in the 1980s and currently awaiting rehabilitation after a fire.

The Ponte Maior was declared a historic monument on April 6, 1961, and after its pedestrianization in 1989, it has been consolidated as one of the three great symbols of Ourense, along with Las Burgas and the Cathedral of San Martiño. The historical presence of a picota or pelouriño next to the bridge highlights its central role in the administration of justice and medieval urban life.