Pons Neronianus, Roman bridge near Vatican district, Rome, Italy
The Pons Neronianus was a bridge that spanned the Tiber valley, connecting the Campus Martius on the north side with the Vatican hills to the south. Its design used multiple stone arches supported by sturdy piers that resisted the river's flow.
Emperors of the first century built the bridge to extend their control across the river, particularly into imperial gardens and ceremonial spaces on the eastern bank. Over the centuries, river damage and neglect gradually weakened the structure until little remained.
Early medieval texts called this place a sacred crossing where emperors and pilgrims passed when traveling to the Vatican area. People used this passage for daily movement between the city and outlying districts.
The structure is now mostly archaeological, and visitors can see remains of the foundations in the Tiber, especially when water levels drop during summer months. The best view comes from Ponte Vittorio Emanuele II, which crosses the same valley above it.
The ancient Via Triumphalis, where victorious generals entered the city in ceremonial processions, crossed this bridge, making it the center of imperial celebrations. Today only fragments of this symbolically important route remain visible.
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