Puente del Alamillo is a striking bridge over the Guadalquivir River in Seville, connecting the city’s old quarter with La Cartuja island. It was designed by Spanish architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava (author of Valencia’s City of Arts and Sciences) and completed in 1992, just in time for the Universal Exposition of Seville.
Despite its practical meaning, the innovative structure attracts visitors due to its architectural beauty and ingenuity. The harp-shaped bridge consists of a single pylon angled at 58 degrees, counterbalancing a 200 m portion with thirteen lengths of cables. It is the only bridge in the world whose design doesn’t require a back anchorage.
Puente del Alamillo has been originally built as a road bridge, but a pedestrian walkway was added recently to give passers the opportunity to admire Seville from above and to visit the Alamillo Park at the northern end of the bridge.