Burgo Bridge, Medieval stone bridge in Pontevedra, Spain
Burgo Bridge is a stone arch structure spanning the Lérez River with eleven rounded arches and protective railings running along both sides of the path. The crossing measures about 158 meters in length and roughly 11 meters in width.
The current structure was built starting in the 12th century to replace an ancient Roman bridge that once occupied the same location. Later generations expanded and reinforced it to ensure its function as a crossing point would continue through the ages.
The scallop shells between the arches were commissioned in 1950 from the Pontevedra sculptor Raymundo Vázquez and carved by one of his stonemasons, so they are a 20th-century addition rather than a medieval one. The shell is the emblem of the Camino de Santiago, and the bridge carried pilgrims over the Lérez on the Portuguese Way.
The crossing was thoroughly renovated in 2020 with new granite paving and upgraded lighting throughout. Walking across is easy and safe, especially in the evening when the enhanced lighting makes orientation clear.
The bridge appears on Pontevedra's coat of arms together with its tower and calvary. A stone cross once stood at the centre of the span; in the mid-19th century it was moved beside the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, near Plaza Alonso de Fonseca.
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