Bridges in Alcoy: How many are there? Everything you need to know
When visiting Alcoy, known as the city of bridges, these structures are one of the first distinctive features in the landscape.
How many bridges are there in Alcoy and what is the best way to discover them? We’ll tell you all their secrets.
Why is Alcoy known as the city of bridges?
Although bridges are common in many places, one of the main things to see in Alcoy are these structures. Why?
A terrain that requires the construction of bridges
Although the province of Alicante is best known for its beaches, its interior is very different. The regions of l’Alcoià and El Comtat are particularly mountainous, a terrain that poses a challenge for communications.
Alcoy is nestled in a valley, surrounded by mountains and crossed by the Serpis, Molinar and Riquer rivers, which were fundamental to its origins. Therefore, crossing both the rivers and the ravines was essential for the growth of the city, something that has been achieved through the construction of bridges of different sizes and at different points.
The industrial necessity of the 19th century
The Industrial Revolution played a major role in Alcoy’s expansion, and the city’s textile and paper factories needed good connections to transport raw materials and finished products. For this reason, many of the city’s most important bridges are in the Modernist style.
How many bridges are there in Alcoy at present?
Counting how many bridges there are in Alcoy depends on what you mean by a bridge, as there are at least twenty significant ones, but there are also many smaller ones, and as new needs arise, new ones are being built.
The most emblematic bridges of Alcoy
Some of Alcoy’s most iconic bridges, although there could be many more, are as follows:
St George’s Bridge
It is one of the city’s main icons and one of its most monumental bridges. Opened in 1931, the St George’s Bridge connects the city centre with the Eixample district, spanning the River Barxell or Riquer.
María Cristina Bridge or Cervantes Bridge
This bridge, inaugurated in 1838, took ten years to build and connects the centre of Alcoy with the Santa Rosa neighbourhood, spanning the Barxell or Riquer River. Beneath it, industrial chimneys still stand, offering a glimpse into the city’s industrial past.
Canalejas Viaduct
The Canalejas Bridge or Viaduct, also known simply as the Viaduct, is one of the city’s most iconic landmarks due to its elegance and symbolism, as well as the beautiful views of the Sierra de Mariola mountains and the Barranc del Cint ravine that can be seen when crossing it.
Fernando Reig Bridge
Much more modern, inaugurated in 1987, is the Fernando Reig Bridge, one of the most important bridges of the second half of the 20th century due to its complex engineering. Although it is passable, it is more common to enjoy its imposing silhouette from the María Cristina Bridge.
Bridge of the Seven Moons
Outside the town centre, but on the Alcoy greenway, which is popular for hiking and cycling, is the Seven Moons Bridge, which was built for the Alcoy-Alicante railway line that never got off the ground.
Can they be visited? Are there tourist routes?
Of course, one of the main attractions of Alcoy’s tourist bridges is that they are monuments that also serve a practical purpose, meaning that they can be visited while enjoying a pleasant stroll.
Route of the bridges of Alcoy
The Alcoy Bridge Route is designed to take you on a tour of the city’s main bridges and discover their history, while enjoying the urban planning, architecture and landscapes of the city.
It is a circular urban route that usually crosses the Sant Jordi, María Cristina and San Roque bridges, and is often used by both tourists and locals.
Interesting facts about Alcoy’s bridges
In addition to those considered to be the most beautiful bridges in Alcoy, the town has other very old bridges in the area closest to the river, such as the Tossal Bridge (1712), the Alcazares Bridge (1780) and the Buidaoli Bridge (1828), built in stone, and many others of architectural and functional importance, such as the Pechina Bridge, the Vaguada Bridge and the Francisco Aura Bridge.
If you are planning to visit Alcoy, do not forget to take a stroll across its well-maintained bridges to discover its history and enjoy its landscapes.
