The standing arch of the Puente Romano

The Puente Romano de Velilla is a bridge over the Carrión river in Velilla del Río Carrión, Palencia. Although it is known as a Roman bridge, it is actually a medieval construction. It originally featured three arches made of ashlar stone, connecting Velilla with the province of León.

The bridge collapsed in part during a major flood in 1912, leaving only one arch standing. No personal tragedies occurred during the collapse, which happened at night. Such floods were very common until the construction of dams regulated the river's waters. In 2008, the base of the bridge was reinforced with a footing to prevent the remaining arch from collapsing.

While there are no physical remains to prove it, the bridge may have been built over the remains of an ancient Roman bridge, which is where its nickname originates. During excavations in the Fuentes Tamáricas in 1960 and 1961, archaeologist Antonio García y Bellido studied the bridge and concluded that it was a medieval bridge of the Cangas de Onís type.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons