Puente de Cal y Canto

The stone bridge spanned 202 meters across the Mapocho River, featuring nine arches and reaching a height of 12 meters above the water level.

Construction began in 1767 under Corregidor Luis Manuel de Zañartu, using prison labor to build this colonial-era connection between central Santiago and La Chimba district.

The bridge structure incorporated local materials from Cerro Blanco quarry, with stones and bricks bound together using a mixture of lime and eggs.

Remnants of the original bridge structure are now visible at Cal y Canto Metro Station, allowing daily commuters to observe this historical engineering work.

The bridge stood until 1888 when river channeling works weakened its structure, leading to partial collapse and subsequent demolition through controlled detonation.

Location: Santiago commune

GPS coordinates: -33.43270,-70.65160

Latest update: May 27, 2025 10:02