Ponte 25 de Abril (25th of April Bridge), Lisbon

Ponte 25 de Abril bridge (25th of April Bridge) is named after the date of the revolution that freed Portugal from the communist rule of Salazar. The Ponte 25 de Abril bridge spans the river Tejo at its narrowest point. The Ponte 25 de Abril connects Lisbon on the north bank with the commuter districts of Almada to the south. The Ponte 25 de Abril closely resembles that of the Golden Gate bridge in San Francesco as both were built by the same construction company and both bridges are in in similar geological environments with the possibility of strong earthquakes.

The Ponte 25 de Abril bridge has foundations which go down for 75meters below the base of the sea bed. The Ponte 25 de Abril bridge went under extensive expansion in 1995, increasing the number of lanes from 4 to 6. A train line was added below the road level in 1999 and is the only rail route south out of Lisbon. Even with the additional capacity the bridge grinds to a halt during rush hour and an average of 150,000 cars cross the bridge each day. Image name Ponte 25 de Abril (25th of April Bridge) Lisbon.

To read more about the Ponte 25 de Abril bridge Click Here - or- to read the Belem walking tour Click Here.