Ponte Altinate, Roman bridge in Padua, Italy.
Ponte Altinate is a Roman stone bridge in Padua built with three arches that once crossed a river branch in ancient times. The structure now lies beneath the modern street level, making it invisible to passersby above ground.
The bridge was built during the Late Republican period in the 1st century BC to cross a river branch that flowed through ancient Padua. It represents how Romans engineered permanent stone structures to support trade and movement in their settlements.
The bridge structure lies beneath the modern street Riviera del Ponti Romani, representing the evolution of Padua's urban development through centuries.
The site is accessible from the street Riviera dei Ponti Romani, where an information board explains its historical importance. A nearby bridge called Ponte San Lorenzo can be visited if you want to see a similar Roman structure above ground.
The bridge maintains a precise engineering ratio of 1:4 for its main arch and 1:3.7 for lateral arches, demonstrating Roman mathematical precision.
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