Porto Boat Bridge disaster
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The Ponte das Barcas (Bridge of Boats) was an early nineteenth century pontoon bridge built over barges on the River Douro in Porto, Portugal and, in 1809, site of one of the world's most deadly bridge failures.
In March 1809, during the Second Napeolonic invasion of Portugal, Porto city residents fled south over the Ponte das Barcas, followed by French troops who were advancing through the city from the North. Deaths resulted from pressure of numbers, falls, the partial collapse of the bridge, as well as shots from defending Portuguese troops, who were occupying a position above the South side of the bridge.[1]
While the exact number of deaths is unknown, estimates of around four thousand deaths are usually given.[2][3]
The Ponte das Barcas
[edit]The bridge was situated around 100m West, downstream of the current Dom Luis I bridge in the centre of Porto[4]. Boat Bridges on the spot existed before and after the disaster - from the fourteenth century until the construction of the first suspension bridge over the river (next to the current Dom Luis I bridge) in 1841.
The bridge involved in the disaster was inaugurated on the 14th August 1806 by Carlos Amarante. It consisted of 33 boats linked by iron chains which could be opened or closed to allow the circulation of boats up and down river, or people across the river.[1]
- ^ a b "O POTENCIAL DO TURISMO MILITAR PARA A CIDADE DO PORTO: O CASO DA SEGUNDA INVASÃO FRANCESA" (PDF). Retrieved 2024-10-01.
- ^ "O desastre da ponte das barcas". RTP Ensina (in Portuguese). 2022-09-14. Retrieved 2024-10-01.
- ^ Martins, Luís Almeida (2022-03-16). "A tragédia da Ponte da Barcas". Visão (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-10-01.
- ^ "Suspended Bridge". FEUP. Retrieved 2024-10-01.