Pont de la Mar

Pont de la Mar (Spanish: Puente del Mar) is a historic pedestrian bridge in Valencia, spanning the old, now dry bed of the Turia river. It links Plaza de América with the Paseo de la Alameda and is the easternmost of the city's five historic bridges, once marking the route toward the sea.

Where is it and what surrounds it?

The bridge crosses what is now the Jardín del Turia, a long park created after a major flood in 1957 prompted the city to divert the Turia river outside its historic center. Pont de la Mar sits in the eastern stretch of this green corridor, close to the Alameda, one of Valencia's principal promenades. Locals and visitors cross it as part of everyday walks through the gardens, and it also lies along the route toward the City of Arts and Sciences, further downstream along the former riverbed.

Why is it called the "Sea Bridge"?

A first bridge is documented on this spot as early as the 14th century, built in timber. Repeated Turia floods kept damaging that structure, so in 1425 a sturdier version with stone foundations and piers replaced it. Even that reinforced bridge did not last: a flood destroyed it in 1589.

The bridge standing today was built between 1592 and 1596, commissioned by the Fàbrica Nova del Riu, the body then in charge of managing the river in Valencia. The stonemason behind the work was Francisco Figuerola, originally from Xàtiva but a Valencia resident. The bridge served a genuinely practical purpose: it connected the city to the Camí del Grau, the road leading to Valencia's seaport. That link to the port is the origin of its name — this was the natural path water, and people, took toward the sea.

What is worth noticing on the bridge itself?

A distinctive feature of Pont de la Mar is a pair of small chapel-like niches, known locally as casilicios, set into the middle of the structure. They currently hold statues of the Virgen de los Desamparados (Our Lady of the Forsaken), Valencia's patron saint, sculpted by Vicente Navarro, and of Saint Pascual Baylón, by José Ortells. Placing sacred images on bridges was a common practice among builders of the period: a newly finished bridge was considered a risky structure until its supporting centering was removed, so figures of saints were added as symbolic protectors against collapse.

The decoration itself has its own turbulent history. When the bridge was completed in 1596, statues of Saint Vincent Ferrer, Saint Vincent the Martyr, and Saint John the Baptist stood on a stone structure at its center. In 1720, the original cross there was replaced with an image of the Virgen de los Desamparados by Francisco Vergara the Elder. During the Spanish Civil War, in 1936, these images were destroyed, and new sculptures were not installed again until 1944.

Why visit Pont de la Mar?

Pont de la Mar is a place where the old, unpredictable Turia river meets Valencia's present-day city life — the bridge now arches over a green park full of walkers, cyclists, and runners rather than flowing water. It makes for a natural stop while strolling through the Alameda or crossing the former riverbed gardens, offering a close look at late 16th-century stone architecture that still carries the marks of the city's turbulent history.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Pont de la Mar in Valencia? It is a historic pedestrian bridge dating from the late 16th century, crossing the former bed of the Turia river and connecting Plaza de América with the Paseo de la Alameda.

Why is it called the "Sea Bridge" (Puente del Mar)? Because it once led, via the Camí del Grau road, toward Valencia's seaport — it was the natural route toward the sea.

Is there still a river under the bridge? No. After the 1957 flood, the Turia's course through the city was diverted, and the old riverbed became the Jardín del Turia park.

What can be seen on the bridge itself? At its center are small niches holding statues of the Virgen de los Desamparados, Valencia's patron saint, and of Saint Pascual Baylón.