Ponte di San Francesco di Paola, Steel swing bridge in Taranto, Italy
The San Francesco di Paola Bridge spans 89.9 meters across a navigable canal, connecting the Old Town island to the New Town peninsula of Taranto.
The original bridge, inaugurated in 1887 by Admiral Ferdinando Acton, operated through hydraulic turbines powered by water stored in the adjacent Aragonese Castle.
The bridge maintains its status as an Italian national heritage site, representing a major engineering achievement from the late 19th century naval infrastructure.
The bridge opens through an electrical mechanism controlled from two pilot cabins, requiring approximately twenty minutes for a complete opening and closing cycle.
Two rotating steel sections pivot around central anchoring points on concrete quays, allowing large military vessels to access the Naval Arsenal in the Mar Piccolo.
Location: Taranto
Length: 89.9 m
Made from material: steel
Address: Ponte S. Francesco da Paola - 74121 Taranto (TA)
GPS coordinates: 40.47201,17.23561
Latest update: May 10, 2025 18:51
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