Pont de la Trinitat

Pont de la Trinitat is one of the oldest surviving bridges in Valencia, spanning the old bed of the Turia river right next to the city's historic centre.

Where does the bridge get its name?

The name comes from the nearby La Trinitat monastery, founded in 1256. The religious community became such a fixture of this stretch of the riverbank that the crossing itself ended up named after the Holy Trinity, even though the stone bridge standing here today was built well after the monastery.

How old is the crossing really?

A bridge has stood on this spot for far longer than the current stone structure suggests. Under Muslim rule, in the era associated with El Cid, a wooden crossing known as Bab al-Warraq occupied the site. It wasn't until the early 15th century, in 1402, that master builder Mateu Texidor raised a solid stone bridge here, the same structure that still carries traffic and pedestrians across the old riverbed today.

Why did it survive the great flood of 1517?

1517 is remembered in Valencia as the year of a catastrophic Turia flood that wiped out several of the city's bridges, including those of Serranos, San José and del Real. Pont de la Trinitat withstood the disaster thanks to its sturdy Gothic construction, though it still needed partial rebuilding afterward. That resilience is still cited today as proof of how solidly 15th-century engineers built.

What does the bridge look like?

Built in the Gothic style, Pont de la Trinitat rests on ten massive stone arches made of dressed ashlar. The structure runs about 158.5 metres long and 10.4 metres wide, making it one of the most imposing historic crossings along the old riverbed. Its heavy arches give the bridge the same solid, monumental character typical of Valencian civic and defensive construction at the turn of the late medieval and early modern periods.

What sculptures used to decorate it?

Over the centuries, master stonecarvers active in the 17th and 18th centuries added sculptural decoration to the bridge, including religious figures set along its parapets and abutments. Several of these sculptures were destroyed by French troops during the Peninsular War in the early 19th century, an episode that remains part of the bridge's turbulent history.

What is around the bridge today?

The bridge now arches over what used to be the Turia riverbed, which was turned into a long municipal park, the Jardín del Turia, after the river was diverted following the catastrophic 1957 flood. Walking beneath the arches of Pont de la Trinitat today means walking through green parkland, and the bridge itself works as both a viewpoint and a crossing linking Valencia's historic centre with the districts on the far side of the old channel.

Frequently Asked Questions

How old is Pont de la Trinitat? The current stone bridge dates back to 1402, though a wooden crossing already stood on the site during the period of Muslim rule in Valencia.

Why is it called "de la Trinitat"? It takes its name from the neighbouring La Trinitat monastery, built in 1256, which for centuries was a key landmark on this side of the city.

Did the bridge survive Valencia's historic floods? Yes. It withstood the devastating flood of 1517, which destroyed several other city bridges, although it required partial reconstruction. The riverbed it spans was later turned into the Jardín del Turia park after the 1957 flood led to the river being rerouted.

How many arches does it have, and how big is it? The bridge has ten Gothic arches and measures roughly 158.5 metres long by 10.4 metres wide, making it one of Valencia's most impressive historic river crossings.