El Tajo Gorge, Ronda
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El Tajo de Ronda by Pedro J. Pacheco/Wikipedia
Perched atop the cleft cliffs that rise 120 metres (390 ft) in height, the city of Rhonda is split in two by the deep chasm that cracks the cliffs in half. Traversing from one side of the city to the other requires crossing the famous Puente Nuevo, or New Bridge, that has spanned the gorge for more than two centuries. Its tall central arch creates an opening nearly as tall as the cliffs and is a main attraction in its own right, allowing visitors a continuous view of the gorge through the bridge.
Two smaller arches stand on either side of the massive bridge at the top, and in the center of the bridge, just below the walking surface, rests a chamber that was once used as a torture chamber during the 1936-1939 Civil War. Both sides used the chamber as a prison at one point or another, often throwing prisoners out of the windows on a long fall to the rocky bottom of El Tajo gorge.
Puente Nuevo moves not only pedestrians, but vehicles along its sturdy surface. It blends into the beauty of the cliff as though pre-planned by nature. Those who visit the gorge and its bridge stay for the beauty and history of the city of Rhonda. What was once a thriving Roman outpost has also yielded artifacts from an earlier age, with rock paintings and prehistoric remains dating to Celtic culture in the sixth century BC. Rhonda overflows with ancient buildings that feel as though one were witnessing the Roman empire. Small alleyways and alcoves reveal quaint homes and well preserved architecture. Iron lanterns hang above doors with brick trimming. Rhonda vibrates with culture both ancient and modern around every corner.
Two smaller arches stand on either side of the massive bridge at the top, and in the center of the bridge, just below the walking surface, rests a chamber that was once used as a torture chamber during the 1936-1939 Civil War. Both sides used the chamber as a prison at one point or another, often throwing prisoners out of the windows on a long fall to the rocky bottom of El Tajo gorge.
Puente Nuevo moves not only pedestrians, but vehicles along its sturdy surface. It blends into the beauty of the cliff as though pre-planned by nature. Those who visit the gorge and its bridge stay for the beauty and history of the city of Rhonda. What was once a thriving Roman outpost has also yielded artifacts from an earlier age, with rock paintings and prehistoric remains dating to Celtic culture in the sixth century BC. Rhonda overflows with ancient buildings that feel as though one were witnessing the Roman empire. Small alleyways and alcoves reveal quaint homes and well preserved architecture. Iron lanterns hang above doors with brick trimming. Rhonda vibrates with culture both ancient and modern around every corner.
