The Guadalquivir River is one of the most important attractions
of Seville and thanks to it many civilizations settled
here, leaving behind their customs and cultures.
The river can be crossed by various bridges built during
different periods of the city’s history.
On the occasion of Expo ’92 many bridges were built,
such as the Puente de la Barqueta, Puente del Alamillo,
Puente del V Centenario, all providing a modern touch
to the city.
The Bridges of Seville
Entering from the north end of the city stands
the Puente del Alamillo, built along the shores of the
Guadalquivir in 1991. What stands out most of this structure
is its 140 meter mast with its 58º inclination and
from which three crosspieces support its base. The architect
is Santiago Calatrava.
Further down the river past the Convento de San Clemente
stands the singular bridge which to most Sevillians represents
the ’92 Expo, the Puente de la Barqueta. This structure
connects the north of the Cartuja Island with historic
old quarters of Seville. Single arches on both sides are
joined by a triangular doorway and it height reaches 214
meters. Built in 1989 it stretches along the shores of
the river bank set at the foot of the Cartuja Island.
Following along the Torneo street one finds the Puente
de la Cartuja, a foot bridge which links this road with
the Monasterio de Santa María de las Cuevas. This
1991 structure has an 11 meter wide base and a single
arch frame which hangs over the Guadaquivir and from here
one has a perfect view of Monastery.
Next is the Puente del Cristo de la Expiración,
also known as the Cachorro (the Puppy). This bridge resolves
communication with Triana, while also being the natural
exit towards the province of Huelva. This bridge has the
peculiar characteristic of covering in canvas its walkways.
Aside from its aesthetic contribution it is also a great
relief to those that walk it during the summer months.
One of the most emblematic bridges in the city is the
Puente de Isabel II, the first iron bridge in the city,
built in 1852. It is also known as the Triana bridge.
It was built on the site of an earlier ship-bridge and
was declared a historic monument on April 13, 1976. It
was a project of engineers, Gustavo Steinacher and Ferdinand
Bennetot during 1845 and 1852. It was modeled after the
no longer standing French Carrousel (inaugurated in Paris
in 1834), which incorporated the Ponaceau system, which
excluded the use of wood.
The Puente de San Telmo, erected between the years 1925
and 1931 link the Puerta de Jerez with the Plaza de Cuba.
A functional bridge, it solved the problems of communicating
the two areas just at the time when Los Remedios neighborhood
was in its planning stages. It was a mobile bridge up
until the early 1970s. Later, converted into a fixed structure,
this encouraged a shift of port activity down the river.
Up ahead from this point stands the Puente de los Remedios,
which unites the historic round a bout with the neighborhood
of Los Remedios.
Past the Port of Seville one finds the Puente de las Delicias
which connects the southern part of the city with the
Avenida de Garcia Morato (Avenue). Built in 1992, this
structure has independent levels which open up as a draw-bridge,
allowing the passage of ships and boats to the Port. One
of the planks is conditioned only for cars, the other
for cargo trains.
The last bridge that crosses over the Guadalquivir was
constructed in 1991 for the ’92 Expo. It is the
Puente del V Centenarios (500th Anniversary Bridge) and
is part of the SE-30 bypass. This enormous 2 km long viaduct’s
main base is sits 45 meters above the river, thus avoiding
any port traffic. It is the highest port point in the
city and offers magnificent panoramic views.
Sevilla guide
