Alcántara Bridge

Alcántara Bridge (also called Puente Trajan at Alcantara) is a Roman stone arch bridge. It was built over the Tagus River, Alcántara, Spain between 104 and 106 AD. The Roman emperor Trajan ordered this bridge built in 98 AD.^[6] The Alcántara Bridge was built at the expense of 12 local municipalities in Lusitania. The names were added on an inscription on the archway over the central pier.^[7]

Alcántara Bridge
Coordinates	39.7224°N 6.8924°W / 39.7224; -6.8924
Crosses	Tagus River
Locale	Alcántara, Spain
Heritage status	Listed as cultural heritage since 1921[1]
Characteristics
Design	Roman arch bridge
Material	Stone
Total length	181.7 m (596 ft)[2]
Width	8.6 m (28 ft)[2]
Height	45 m (148 ft)[3]
Longest span	28.8 m (94 ft)[4]
No. of spans	6
Load limit	52 t (57 short tons)[5]
History
Designer	Caius Julius Lacer
Construction start	104 AD
Construction end	106 AD
Location

The original length of this bridge was 190 metres (620 ft). It is now 181.7 metres (596 ft) long ^[2] The clear spans of the six arches from the right to the left riverside are 13.6 metres (45 ft), 23.4 metres (77 ft), 28.8 metres (94 ft), 27.4 metres (90 ft), 21.9 metres (72 ft) and 13.8 metres (45 ft)^[4]

The Alcántara Bridge was one of 100 finalists for the 12 Treasures of Spain in 2007.^[8]