Category: Civil Architecture > Bridge
District: Braga > Vila Verde > Vila de Prado
The Prado Bridge is situated over the Cávado River, connecting the parishes of Merelim (São Paio), Panoias and Parada de Tibães, in the municipality of Braga, and Vila de Prado, in the municipality of Vila Verde, district of Braga, Portugal.
Classified as a National Monument since 1910.
The original bridge dates back to the period of Roman occupation of the region, being built to connect the city of Bracara Augusta to the territories of the Northwestern Peninsula.
During the Middle Ages, the Prado Bridge played a fundamental role as a point of connection between Braga, the religious center of the County of Portugal, and Ponte de Lima, the oldest town in Portugal.
The bridge has undergone several reconstructions throughout history. The first reconstruction took place in the medieval period, with the help of the Archbishop of Braga, D. Paio Mendes. In the 17th century, the bridge was altered again and acquired its current configuration, according to the project of the architect António de Castro.
Over the years, the Prado Bridge has been damaged several times due to floods of the Cávado River. After the Entre-os-Rios tragedy, heavy vehicle traffic was prohibited on the bridge.
At midnight on Easter Day, the bridge is the stage for a peculiar tradition called "Egg on the Bridge". According to legend, whoever eats a boiled egg at midnight on this occasion will be free from headaches throughout the year. Boiled eggs are thrown into the Cávado River as part of the fulfillment of this festive tradition.
The Prado Bridge is a 17th-century style structure, built with granite. It has nine arches, five pointed and four round. On the banks of the Cávado River, there are two river beaches.
Sources: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponte_do_Prado
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 41.59577222,-8.46290833
Coordinates DMS: 41°35'44.8"N 08°27'46.5"W
Weather Vila de Prado
On-duty Pharmacy Vila de Prado
