Bridge of Misericordia

The Puente de la Misericordia (also known as the Ponte da Misericordia or Puente Mayor) is a stone arch bridge located in the municipality of Viveiro, in the Province of Lugo, Galicia, Spain. The bridge connects the two banks of the Ria de Viveiro, running from the Puerta de Carlos V to the Capilla de la Misericordia, from which it takes its name. It is approximately 500 metres long and is protected under the Spanish Historical Heritage Law 16/1985.

History

The site has a long history of bridge construction. Historical documents attest to the existence of a bridge here as early as 1224, and it is believed that the original structure may have been built during the Roman occupation of Galicia, which would also explain the origin of the town's name, derived from the Latin Vivarium.

Construction of the current bridge began in 1462 during the reign of Henry IV of Castile, as documented by the will of a local resident, Juan Veloso, who in January of that year bequeathed funds toward its construction:

"Item mando a obra da ponte de Viveiro des maravedís"

The bridge was completed in 1544 during the reign of Emperor Charles I of Spain and V of Germany. An academic study published in 2011 in Laboratorio de Arte identified two previously unpublished drawings of the bridge from 1702, one by architect Francisco de Castro Canseco, preserved in the National Historical Archive, which provide valuable documentation of its 18th-century appearance.

Modifications

The bridge underwent numerous transformations during the 19th and 20th centuries. In 1878 the road connecting the bridge to the Chapel of the Misericordia was widened. In 1890 the original parapets were demolished and metal cantilevers were installed, supported on the cutwaters.