View of the Maria Cristina Bridge

In front of you stands the Maria Cristina Bridge, the most famous bridge in San Sebastian. It crosses the Urumea River, connecting both sides of the city, and is named after Queen Maria Christina of Austria, who ruled Spain at the end of the 19th century. She played a key role in boosting the city’s reputation by spending all her summers here. The bridge was inaugurated in 1905 and was considered a highly modern structure for its time. It was built using reinforced concrete, a cutting-edge material back then, just starting to be used in large-scale construction. The bridge features three arches and is flanked at both ends by four towering obelisks, each 18 metres high, which are impossible to miss as you cross. The Spanish architect Antonio Palacios Ramilo led the construction, while sculptor Ángel García Díaz created the equestrian statues that crown each obelisk. Both beautiful and functional, the Maria Cristina Bridge is a true architectural gem, and the perfect route into San Sebastian’s historic centre.