The Maria Pia Bridge (Ponte D. Maria Pia) is the great railway arch bridge you can see upstream of the Dom Luís I Bridge: built by the Eiffel & Cie company, it opened in 1877. Its central arch, with a 160-metre span, was then the longest single arch in the world. More than ten years before the Eiffel Tower, it is one of the firm's first great achievements. The bridge is no longer used for transport: trains stopped running on it in 1991, when the line moved to the São João Bridge. Listed as a national monument in 1982, it is seen from a distance, from the banks of the Douro or the heights of the city; a stop is quick, but the sight is beautiful at sunset.
Highlights
The iron arch
The deck, about 350 metres long, rests on a wrought-iron arch that rises more than 40 metres and stands 60 metres above the river. The work is attributed largely to Théophile Seyrig, Eiffel's partner, who later designed the Dom Luís I Bridge.
The bridge seen from the water and the banks
The lacy iron silhouette stands out against the river, with the São João Bridge behind. From the bank, Douro boats pass under the arch.
A historic site
In 1990 the bridge received the historic civil engineering landmark designation of the American Society of Civil Engineers. It was repaired in the 20th century but has not regained a use.
Prices
The bridge can be seen freely; to our knowledge there is no ticket and no organised visit.
Practical info
Tips
- The bridge is not a visitor site: do not try to climb onto the deck, and look at it from the quays or the viewpoints. For an overview of the Douro bridges, first cross the Dom Luís I Bridge and look upstream. The Ribeira lies downstream. Photograph it preferably in the afternoon, with the sun behind you.
How to get there
The bridge links the Seminário district (Porto) with the Serra do Pilar (Vila Nova de Gaia), upstream of the Dom Luís I Bridge. The simplest way is a taxi or a bus from the centre.
Opening hours
Our guides that feature it
Nearby
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