‘Puente nuevo’, of course, means ‘new bridge’. However, this bridge actually dates back to the 18th century. Work on it began in the 1750s and it took until 1793 for it to be completed. The bridge has become the key icon of the municipality of Ronda, with photos of its impressive span linking the two sides of the town across the El Tajo canyon gracing numerous travel brochures.
The photo below shows the view from the middle of the bridge back towards the spot from where the main shot was taken.
The bridge towers some 120m above the canyon floor. The present one is the third one at this site. The previous two constructions collapsed. When the second one tumbled down into the gorge in 1741, it apparently took scores of people with it.
The photo below depicts the view along the other side of the canyon.
The bridge carries traffic, but at certain times of day this is restricted to local residents and you can wander from one side to the other without constantly having to dodge vehicles.
Ronda is a pleasant little place with several other interesting sights, as the two next photos illustrate.
Not surprisingly, therefore, the town receives a sizeable number of visitors, particularly day-trippers from the nearby coastal resorts. If you stay in Ronda overnight, though – as we did – you have a chance to explore the town in the evening and for much of the next morning without being bothered by crowds.
