Gate and bridge of Alcantara

The gate and bridge of Alcántara

The Toledo audio-guided tour takes you to the foot of the city, before the Alcántara gate and its Roman bridge, which spans the Tagus since Antiquity.

An Umayyad vestige and a Roman bridge

Dating from the tenth century and of Umayyad origin, the Alcántara gate is, with the Mosque of Christ of the Light, one of the only Umayyad vestiges of Toledo. At the end of the tenth century, the caliphate of Cordoba fragmented and Toledo became one of these divisions, the taifas. Damaged then covered by new constructions, the gate was only cleared at the beginning of the twentieth century and restored around 1960. The bridge that extends behind it, also called the Trajan bridge, is a Roman structure built in 104 of our era in honour of Emperor Trajan, born in Spain. Gate and bridge were often reworked over the centuries.

What there is to see

The gate and bridge of Alcántara form an ensemble laden with history, from the Romans to the Umayyads, at the foot of the city and above the Tagus. The bridge offers a magnificent perspective over Toledo and its ramparts, while the gate recalls the Arab past of the city. It is one of the finest entrances to the city, to be discovered by crossing the river.

Practical information

The gate and bridge of Alcántara are at the foot of the old town of Toledo, above the Tagus. The bridge can be crossed freely on foot at all hours; it offers fine views over the city and its ramparts.

From when does the Alcántara bridge date?

It is a Roman bridge, also called the Trajan bridge, built in 104 of our era in honour of Emperor Trajan.

Why is the Alcántara gate important?

It is, with the Mosque of Christ of the Light, one of the only Umayyad vestiges of Toledo, dating from the tenth century.