The Dom Luís bridge

The Dom Luís bridge

The Porto audio-guided tour presents you with the Dom Luís bridge, an iron giant that connects the city to the cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia, one of the symbols of Porto.

An iron giant over the Douro

Three hundred and ninety-five metres long and eight wide, the Dom Luís bridge was built between 1881 and 1888 by the engineer Téophile Seyrig, one of the associates of Gustave Eiffel. Its structure of arches on two levels allows it to be crossed at once on foot, by car and by tram. Its name pays tribute to King Luís I, but an anecdote circulates about it: required to inaugurate the monument, the king is said never to have come to Porto for the occasion; the inhabitants, hurt by this lack of consideration, are said to have simply inscribed "Luís I" instead of "Dom Luís I". This detail was never corrected for this bridge, listed on the UNESCO heritage in 1996.

What there is to see

The Dom Luís bridge impresses with its two-level iron structure, which spans the Douro between Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. To cross it, on foot on the upper deck, offers spectacular views over the two banks, the river and the cellars of Gaia. A symbol of the city and a masterpiece of nineteenth-century engineering, it is an essential stage of the visit.

Practical information

The Dom Luís bridge connects Porto to Vila Nova de Gaia, above the Douro. It can be crossed freely on foot at all hours, on its two levels; the upper deck, used by the metro, offers the finest views.

Who built the Dom Luís bridge?

The engineer Téophile Seyrig, one of the associates of Gustave Eiffel, between 1881 and 1888.

What does the Dom Luís bridge connect?

The centre of Porto to the wine cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia, on the other bank of the Douro.