Puente Nuevo (Ronda Bridge)

| Tourism objects | 6 seen

The Puente Nuevo (New Bridge) or as we called it - Ronda Bridge is the newest and largest of three bridges that span the 120-metre (390 ft)-deep chasm that carries the Guadalevín River and divides the city of Ronda, in southern Spain.

We had a chance to visit the Puente Nuevo at the start of June (temperature that day was about 40 Celsius), for me, as for an eager excelling photographer this was a nice place to put my knowledge in place.

Let's start with panoramic photography:

Puente Nuevo

Puente Nuevo

The architect was José Martin de Aldehuela, who died in Málaga in 1802. The chief builder was Juan Antonio Díaz Machuca.

The bridge was started in 1751 and took 42 years to build. Fifty workers were killed during its construction. There is a chamber above the central arch that was used for a variety of purposes, including as a prison. 

Tourists gathering at Ronda Bridge

Tourists gathering at Ronda Bridge

Above from the bridge you can get spectacular views. 

During the 1936-1939 civil war both sides allegedly used the prison as a torture chamber for captured opponents, killing some by throwing them from the windows to the rocks at the bottom of the El Tajo gorge. The chamber is entered through a square building that was once the guard-house. It now contains an exhibition describing the bridge's history and construction.

Puente Nuevo in HDR

Puente Nuevo in HDR

It was a bright daylight, and probably I could get alone without a tripod (which I actually decided not to carry with me), but I noticed some tourist shooting from a tripod and asked could I borrow it for a few shots. The guy gave me his tripod and I made above HDR from it. Thank you - tripod guy near Ronda Bridge.

View from Puente Nuove bridge in Ronda

View from Puente Nuove bridge in Ronda

Location
36.740747, -5.165903