The bridge
Arches that will take you to the other side

The River Tormes has always been an agent of change, a decisive element in the location of the oldest Salamancan villages, which are on its banks. Such was the case with Alba de Tormes. The first time its bridge is mentioned was in the village’s founding charter, in 1140, a key moment in which the repopulation south of the River Duero was being encouraged.

The uneven look of its 23 arches is the consequence of the countless rebuilding it has suffered over the centuries, many of which were due to the warlike events that took place on it during the Independence War, when the town changed hands about ten times in the six years that this war lasted.

But not only the battles have affected its aspect. The many floods that took place throughout its history have also had a crucial effect on it. Thankfully, this stopped once the Santa Teresa reservoir was built in 1963 and regulated its flow.

Not far from the bridge there is a watchtower known as “El torreón” or “turrión”. This, along with the walls kept around the Parque del Espolón, is one of the few remains of the old city walls in Alba.