Ponte do Freixo
Photographed from the Douro River during the Six Bridges cruise, this image shows Ponte do Freixo, a road bridge carrying the A20 motorway across the Douro River between Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. The long concrete bridge stretches across the river on several slender piers, with a modest arching profile between them. Its austere appearance contrasts sharply with Porto’s historic arch bridges. As seen in the image, the river bends sharply near the bridge, and the background is almost entirely filled with the urban neighborhoods of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. As a result, the bridge tends to blend into the surrounding cityscape and appears less prominent, especially when photographed from the river.
The bridge derives its name from Freixo, the riverside area of Porto where it is located. The Portuguese word freixo means “ash tree,” a name historically associated with places where these trees grew.
Designed by Professor António Reis and engineer Daniel Sousa and opened in September 1995, Ponte do Freixo is a prestressed-concrete road bridge that spans 705 meters (2,313 ft) across the Douro River. The structure consists of two parallel bridges and has eight spans, including a central span of 150 meters (492 ft). From this nearly frontal viewpoint, however, the two separate structures appear almost as a single bridge.
Ponte do Freixo is the easternmost of the six major bridges connecting Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia across the Douro River. It was built primarily to carry road traffic and relieve congestion on the older crossings. Its two parallel structures carry traffic in opposite directions, making Ponte do Freixo an important road connection between the two sides of the Douro.
Douro River Views
– Scenic Beauty of the Douro River from the Dom Luís I Bridge
– Scenic Beauty of the Douro River and Ribeira from the Dom Luís I Bridge
– Sunset over the Douro River from Jardim do Morro
Explore More about Douro River Bridges
– Six Majestic Bridges Over the Douro River
Dom Luís I Bridge Pages
– Dom Luís I Bridge: Full-Span View from the Douro River
– Dom Luís I Bridge: Porto Entrance to the Lower Deck
– Dom Luís I Bridge: A Bird’s-Eye View from Porto Cathedral Belfry
– Dom Luís I Bridge: A Bird’s-Eye View from Vila Nova de Gaia
– Dom Luís I Bridge: Porto Metro Crossing the Upper Deck
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