Home          Mosques          Muslim Heritage          Personalities          Travel         Contact Us


Gilao River & Roman Bridge, Tavira

 

Gilao River starts its journey in the Serra do Caldeirao mountains of the central Algarve, near Tavira it drains itself into the Atlantic Ocean. It has numerous bridges in Tavira, Rua dos Limpinhos is the name of the road (street) which constitutes the bridge over the river. The bridge (Rua dos Limpinhos) is divided into the traffic and pedestrian sections. There are some buildings built up to the banks of the river and this river is known for for having a very high tide. 

Gilao River is seen passing through Tavira
Calm waters of the river
A railbridge over the River Gilao with the traffic and pedestrian bridge in the foreground
A side view of the bridge
The bridge (Rua dos Limpinhos) is divided into the traffic and pedestrian sections
A calm and peaceful bank of the river
This river can swell up very quickly
Houses built beside one of the banks of the river

Roman Bridge

The Roman Bridge (Ponte Romana) is a seven-arched bridge built over the River Gilao. This bridge is named after Romans because it linked the Roman road from Castro Marim to Tavira. This theory could be wrong because it was built when Tavira belonged to al-Andalus, most probably in the 2nd half of the 12th century.

A River Gilao sign at the Roman Bridge
Arches of the Roman Bridge
This bridge is only used by the pedestrians
The current bridge is from the 17th century
A lock attached to the railings of the bridge with the names of a couple written on it
When there is a high tide, this river can swell up to 9 feet

 

The bridge we see here today was erected in 1667. It has seven arches, a cobbled surface and wrought iron rails along which it has become common to find love locks attached. A restoration work was carried out in 1989, after floods knocked down one of its pillars.

A school of fish enjoying their swim in the river
This sign on a wall beside the bridge refers to some historical events in the past
A guy mastering his skills at being still at the Roman Bridge
The bridge seen in the foreground was only built to accommodate the renovation work of the Roman Bridge but it still stands today
A view of the pedestrian bridge which is built between the Roman Bridge and the Ponte dos Descobrimentos
River seen here at the low tide in the evening
When it is low tide, this river is a hunting ground for the fishermen searching for clams in the shallows
A picturesque setting of the Tavira town at the banks of the Gilao