Portimao is the largest city in the western Algarve. It is located on the banks of the Arade River. If you have had the opportunity to visit the Algarve, you may have crossed the Portimao bridge. It is an iron road bridge. The bridge was built by the well-known French structural engineer Gustave Eiffel. The bridge has been cited as the “Algarve’s answer to the Eiffel tower”.

The bridge was built in 1876. The bridge was built using techniques that were later implemented by Gustave Eiffel to develop other structures, including the Eiffel Tower. Gustave thought that there is a demand for bridges that can be built in a short period of time and that have pre-cast wrought iron models.

The bridge is a three-span cable-stayed bridge made of prestressed reinforced concrete. The central span of the bridge is 256 meters long and the two lateral spans are 107 meters long. There are also two 107-meter reinforced concrete towers in an inverted ‘Y’ shape between the three spans. The bridge has a road platform so that vehicles can pass over the bridge. The road deck is supported by iron safety beams and parapets. The upper deck that forms the royal road for traffic is 12 to 17 meters wide and has two lanes in each direction.

The most important characteristic of the bridge is that there is a total lack of any form of rigid connection along the suspended road surface. The bridge also has a series of oscillation dampers because the area is prone to seismic activity and this property makes the bridge protected against seismic destruction.

If you have the opportunity to pass over the Portimao bridge, you will notice that the metal structures that support the bridge consist of vertical, horizontal and diagonal elements that are firmly secured to the end posts. The base of the bridge was placed deep under the water by using a series of hydraulic presses and by curving the edges of the supporting piers. The foundation created for the bridge was so strong that it could stand for over a hundred years.

Gustave Eiffel’s passion did not stop and he built many more structures such as the Maria Pia Bridge. It is more commonly called Ponte Dona Maria and was built in 1877. It is known as the longest arched bridge in the world. It is 352 meters long and has a 62 meter long railway that runs over the river.

Eiffel believed that the bridge should be supported by curved open metal truss. Not only did it allow the wind to flow through the bridge, it was less expensive to build. It is truly a pleasant experience to stroll through the rich fertile soil, forested hills, vineyards and farms of Portugal and enjoy the natural beauty. The city has something for everyone to enjoy.

Make sure that if you plan a vacation in Portugal, you have the opportunity to see the two wonderful constructions that helped Gustave Eiffel to become a world-renowned person.