Puente de Alcántara, Toledo

This ancient bridge on the eastern side of Toledo has carried travellers across the Tagus since Roman times, though the present arches are of Moorish and medieval origin, rebuilt after floods and sieges. A fortified gate and a baroque triumphal arch guard its two ends, framing views of the river gorge and the fortress rising above. For centuries it was the main entrance for those arriving from the direction of Madrid. Below, the green waters of the Tagus curl around the rock on which the walled city is built.