What if a flood erased a bridge from history? That’s the story of Ponte de Guifões. Today, nothing remains of the Ponte de Guifões. But once, it stood proudly near the Castro de Guifões. It crossed the Leça River close to its estuary.
Ponte de Guifões was built with three perfect arches. Regular granite masonry formed its structure. Distinctive granite guards added character. Experts believe its style dated back to the Middle Ages. However, the bridge’s origins might be even older. Some say Ponte de Guifões could have been founded in Roman times. It may have been part of the coastal road. This road linked the Ave estuary and Vila do Conde. The road passed through the Roman villa of Lavra. It was known as the road “per loca maritima”.
The Leça River has always been important. It crosses the Matosinhos area. Ancient routes used it to connect Porto to key northwest Iberian centers. These included Braga and Santiago de Compostela. Bridges like Ponte de Guifões were vital. They helped people and goods move along these routes.
Sadly, a flood in 1979 destroyed Ponte de Guifões. The river’s force overwhelmed the bridge. It collapsed and disappeared. Today, only memories and old stones remain. The disaster swept away part of the central arch. It also took part of the arch on the left bank. Further damage occurred because no action was taken. The remaining arches and deck fell. The upstream part of the third arch also crumbled.
Before its destruction, Ponte de Guifões was recognized. It was classified as a Public Interest Property. This happened by Decree 516/71 on November 22, 1971. There was a plan to declassify Ponte de Guifões. This was announced on October 14, 2022.
After the 1978 collapse, stones lay nearby. The DREMN planned two initial steps before rebuilding. They wanted to reinforce the riverbanks with rock. Also they wanted to divert some water to the right bank. Despite these plans, no actual work occurred. The site remained in the same state as in 1979.
Though gone, Ponte de Guifões is not forgotten. It reminds us of the power of nature. It also shows us the importance of preserving our history.