Travel Diary: The Roman Bridge of Córdoba

I’m currently enjoying a week-long trip to Spain, and we’re visiting some of its most famous landmarks. Our first stop was Córdoba, a city in southern Spain that recently gained popularity after being featured in HBO’s Game of Thrones – the Roman bridge there served as the Long Bridge of Volantis. While it’s recognizable from the show, the bridge isn’t as massive as it appears on screen and isn’t wide enough for buildings. It’s actually 331 meters long and 9 meters wide, and dates back to Roman times, built around the first century BC. There weren’t any permanent bridges in this area before then, and some historical accounts say Julius Caesar even had to build a temporary one when he arrived.

It’s clear the current bridge, while possibly built on Roman foundations, isn’t the original structure. Records show it’s been modified and rebuilt throughout history. Some believe the original was even destroyed by the Guadalquivir River, and the present bridge dates back to the 8th century, built after the city was conquered by Islamic forces. Even that version has undergone numerous changes since then.

Here is the bridge today:

Here is the bridge in Game of Thrones:

At the south end of the bridge, you’ll find the Torre de la Calahorra, another historic tower originally built by the Moors.

Tomorrow I hope to bring you a new entry about the Córdoba Mosque and its Roman walls.

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2025-09-28 17:42