Puente del Grajal, Colmenar Viejo, Medieval granite bridge in Colmenar Viejo, Spain
Puente del Grajal is a granite bridge spanning the upper section of the Manzanares River with a single semicircular arch. The crossing measures roughly 3 meters wide and connects both riverbanks through its solid stone construction.
The bridge was built during the Islamic period as part of a military route connecting Talamanca de Jarama with the Tiétar Valley. It underwent changes in the 18th century while preserving its original granite structure.
The name refers to jackdaws that once inhabited this area along the riverbank. Visitors can observe the simple, sturdy crossing that reflects how communities in medieval times engineered practical solutions for river travel.
The bridge sits next to the M-618 highway between Colmenar Viejo and Hoyo de Manzanares within the Parque Regional de la Cuenca Alta del Manzanares. Access is on foot from the nearby park, and sturdy shoes are advisable on the uneven ground.
The bridge's width of roughly 3 meters corresponds to an Islamic measurement standard used in architecture of that era. This proportion reveals how precisely craftspeople of that time engineered their constructions.
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