Stone Bridget (16th Century)

An ancient bridge for communication and transit of cultures that were lost through the waters of the Alagón River throughout its history.

The Stone Bridge (Puente de Piedra) is a remarkable civil structure that exhibits a medieval design but was constructed in 1518. Measuring 199.20 metres long by 05.93 metres wide and 10.90 metres high, this bridge is equipped with five large semi-circular arches defended by magnificent starlings that had to replace other previous bridges, from which the original bridge was probably Roman. It seems to have been rebuilt on a few occasions because certain records have been found from around 1322, under the bishopric of Pedro Méndez Sotomayor (1317-1325), of the granting of “40 days of indulgences” by fifteen Bishops, gathered in Valladolid, to all those who contributed to its repair after a terrible winter flood of 1321.

Today, the Bridge is still seated in its original site but is isolated from the river’s course that it was laid across since, in the mid-17th century, it lost its waters after one of the usual yet prolonged winter floods that deflected the Alagón River towards its current watercourse. This led the City of Coria to be connected by boats for two and a half centuries (1647-1909), as it could not be restored to its previous channel. This moment gave birth to a popular folk song of this region, which loosely translates as: “Coria has a bridge without a river and a river without a bridge”.

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Location: Historic centre
Address: Ctra. de Coria-Casillas de Coria (CC-59)
Municipality: 10800 Coria (Cáceres)
Silueta Ciudad de Coria