In front of you is Porto's most famous silhouette. If it looks familiar, that is no accident: it was designed by Théophile Seyrig, a former partner of Gustave Eiffel who had worked with him on the Maria Pia bridge upstream.
1A record-breaking bridge
It was built by the Belgian firm Société de Willebroeck, which won the contract in November 1881. The upper deck opened on 31 October 1886 and the lower one in 1887. Its 172-metre arch was, at the time, the longest of its kind. It is named after King Luís I, who was then on the throne.
2Two decks, two cities
The lower deck links the Ribeira with the Gaia quayside. The upper deck connects Porto's upper town with Serra do Pilar. It was closed to cars in 2003 and since 2005 has carried metro line D; you can also walk across, with dizzying views.
The two stone pillars by the lower entrance are all that is left of the suspension bridge that came before it, opened in 1843.
3What to look for
- The great arch, from which the lower deck hangs.
- The pillars of the old suspension bridge, by the riverbank.
- Serra do Pilar monastery, the round church on top of the Gaia bank.
Documented
The bridge was designed by Théophile Seyrig and built by the Société de Willebroeck between 1881 and 1886; the upper deck opened on 31 October 1886 and the metro has crossed it since 2005.
Sources and credits
Infraestruturas de Portugal; Metro do Porto (line D); UNESCO, Historic Centre of Oporto, Luiz I Bridge and Monastery of Serra do Pilar.
Photos:
- Luís I Bridge over the Douro seen from Gaia, with Porto behind: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0.
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