Maria Pia Bridge
Ponte de D. Maria Pia
A wrought-iron railway arch bridge designed and built by Eiffel’s company, opened in 1877. It is a classic landmark on the Douro Six Bridges cruise.
Maria Pia Bridge was designed and built by Gustave Eiffel’s company and opened to traffic in 1877. Its crescent-shaped wrought-iron arch spans about 160 meters in a single span, a world record at the time, and it predates the Luís I Bridge by more than a decade. Railway operations ceased in 1991, and the bridge is no longer open to pedestrians, so it is mainly enjoyed from a distance. You can ride the Douro Six Bridges cruise, which passes beneath it, or photograph it alongside the nearby São João Bridge from the upstream riverbank or from viewpoints on the Gaia side. It is about 2 km from the Ribeira district and can be reached on foot along the river or by taxi.
Opening hours
Viewable all day (bridge deck closed to pedestrians)
Nearby sights
- Monastery of Serra do Pilar
- Igreja de Santo Ildefonso
- Rua de Santa Catarina & Majestic Café
- Dom Luís I Bridge
- Capela das Almas
- Bolhão Market
- Porto Cathedral
- São Bento Railway Station