Puente Nuevo (New Bridge)

The Puente Nuevo is the most famous sight in Ronda, a tall stone bridge that crosses the gorge known as El Tajo and links the old Moorish town with the newer district across the canyon. Ronda sits on a rocky plateau in the mountains of Málaga province, and the Guadalevín river cuts a deep ravine through the middle of town. The bridge rises roughly a hundred metres above the river bed, and its great central arch and pale stone give it a monumental, almost theatrical presence, especially when seen from below or from the viewpoints on the edge of the old town.

The name "new" is relative. An earlier bridge, built in the 1730s, collapsed in 1741 and killed a number of people, which led the town to try again. Work on the present bridge started in 1759 and took more than thirty years, ending in 1793, under the architect José Martín de Aldehuela. A single high arch spans the gorge, flanked by smaller arches above, and the structure was built to last. A room above the central arch was used for many years as a prison and is now a small interpretation space with displays about the bridge and the town.

Walking across the bridge is free. Look over the parapet and you see the steep sides of the gorge, the green valley below with farms and orchards, and the line of the river. On the old-town side you will find several viewpoints, and on the far side lies a path that descends toward the bottom of the gorge, giving you an up-close perspective of the bridge from below. The descent is steep and uneven, so good shoes are advisable, and the Puente Viejo, the old bridge, is farther down the gorge.

The bridge sits at the centre of an area packed with interest. Within a short walk are the Plaza de Toros de Ronda, one of the oldest bullrings in Spain, the Museo de Ronda, the Casa del Rey Moro with its gardens and water mine, and the Mercado de Abastos. The old bullring is part of the story of modern bullfighting.

Ronda has long attracted writers and painters, including Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles, who loved the town and its setting. The bridge is most atmospheric early in the morning or at sunset, when the stone takes on a golden colour and tour groups have left. It suits everyone, though those who dislike heights may find the viewpoints dizzying.