Ponte romano di Pietralunga, bridge in Italy
The Ponte romano di Pietralunga is an ancient stone bridge near Paternò in Sicily, of which only parts remain standing today. Built from dark lava stone, it originally featured two arches and measured about 13 feet (4 meters) wide and roughly 75 feet (23 meters) long.
The bridge was likely built around 164 BC, roughly a century after Romans gained control of Sicily. It served as part of a road network connecting Catania with inland towns like Centuripe and Enna, facilitating both trade and military movement across the region.
The local name 'Coscia del Ponte' refers to the shape of the remaining parts, which sit low near the water level. Farmers in the area still use sections of the old structure today as irrigation channels for their fields.
The bridge remains are located in a rural area beside the Simeto River and are accessible by car or on foot from Paternò. The site is quiet and sparsely populated, making it a good spot for a short visit while exploring the surrounding countryside.
Archaeologists uncovered Bronze Age tools and pottery in the area near the bridge during excavations in 1997. These finds reveal that people inhabited this location thousands of years before the Roman bridge was constructed.
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