Bridge of Salamanca over Tormes river.   Pillar and archs from Bridge of Salamanca (Bank of Images of the National Center of Information and Educative Communication) This city was originally called Helmantica, becaming Salmantica under Roman domination.   Date for construction of the bridge is unknown. Several hypothesis date it at Augustus, Vespasian or Trajan ages: it is probable that restores and modifications were made at these three moments. It is sure that Trajan was the main instigator for Silver Way and he probably mended this bridge at different times. This bridge was built in order to access the city. Only the first 15 archs do survive.   It shows several constructive phases: most outstanding are Roman and a later one at 17th century. Both are separated by a space in which there was a tower: today it is a wide pillar of the bridge.   As it has been said, Roman section is composed by 15 semicircular archs that mark the perfect beginnings of vaults 6,50 m wide. Each arch is composed by 33 voussoirs 1 m. high. Pillar and archs of Bridge of Salamanca (Bank of Images of the National Center of Information and Educative Communication)   Roman facture of the bridge is today 192 m. long. We know it was longer, but it was partially destroyed and lately substituted. Lenght of gates is between 8,50 and 9,50 m.   Pillars that join and support archs are relatively uniform -2,60 m. long-. The central are wider -3,35 m.-. They have triangular cutwaters, ended at a moulded cornice. Over there we find central pillars 0,90 x 1,20 m. long.   It is built with padded ashlar fit at rope and torch (with some perpendicular ashlars in order to make it more solid). They are granite ashlars carved only at their borders -opere quadrato rustico-.

Then, there are other 12 semicircular archs, on pillars with round cutwaters. They are 350 m. long.