Santiago Calatrava 1992

When Spain chose to host Expo '92 on a large but deserted island in the Guadalquivir River in Seville, building new bridges to the island became a big part of the Expo preparations. Four new bridges were built, of which Calatrava designed two.

The Alamillo bridge is on by far the largest scale. It is a road bridge at the north end of La Cartuja island on which the Expo was held, with a 142m high pylon that has become a landmark visible from Seville's old town.

Calatrava's original design was for a symmetrical pair of bridges either side of La Cartuja island, 1.5 km apart along the same main road. In fact only one of the two was built; alone, the Alamillo bridge's striking feature is its forcefully asymmetric design. Its single pylon inclines away from the river, and supports the 200m span with thirteen pairs of cables. The weight of the concrete and steel pylon provides a counterbalance for the bridge deck.

The single plane of cables support a beam down the middle of the road, maintaining the bridge's image of a harp. The roadway itself is cantilevered out from the beam.

Simon Glynn 1992 and 1999

How to visit

The Alamillo bridge is at the north end of La Cartuja island, crossing the San Jeronimo Meander to the old quarter of Seville. Although a road bridge, it has a raised pedestrian walkway down the center. 

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