Puente de Alfonso XIII, Steel railway and road bridge in Old Town, Seville, Spain
The Puente de Alfonso XIII is a steel railway and road bridge that crosses the Guadalquivir River connecting multiple city sections. The structure features separate lanes for rail and vehicle traffic, built with a steel lattice framework that spans the river in a single main section.
Engineer José Eugenio Ribera designed the bridge, which opened in 1926 to prepare the city for the 1929 Ibero-American Exhibition. This infrastructure project was part of a larger effort to modernize Seville in the early 20th century.
The bridge links several neighborhoods in Seville and reflects how the city integrated modern infrastructure into its historic fabric. You can see how locals and visitors use the different levels for walking and traffic, creating a layered connection across the river.
The bridge is walkable and offers good views of the river and the city skyline from both sides. The structure can feel narrow and exposed to wind, especially during peak traffic or when trains pass through.
The bridge features a drawbridge mechanism that allows large vessels to pass underneath, though this is rarely used today. This technical feature shows early 20th century engineering and the historical importance of river traffic to the city.
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