Ponte Luiz I

Ponte Luís I is a double-deck iron arch bridge spanning the Douro River between Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia, completed in 1886 by Belgian engineer Théophile Seyrig, a former partner of Gustave Eiffel. At the time of its opening, its central span of 172 metres made it one of the widest metal bridges ever built. The upper deck, standing roughly 45 metres above the river, carries the Metro do Porto's Line D and offers pedestrians an unobstructed panorama across the Ribeira's terracotta rooflines, the port-wine lodges of Gaia, and the curving Douro valley. The lower deck handles road and foot traffic closer to the waterfront. Both banks it connects fall within Porto's UNESCO World Heritage zone, making the bridge the structural spine of the historic centre.