Alberto de Palacio y Elisague
Sare (1856) Las Arenas (1939)
Puente colgante de Vizcaya. 1887. Steel.
This monumental bridge-ferry across the Nervion River, situated at west part of Bilbao (Portugalete). Designed by Alberto de Palacio and Elisague, an architect born in Vizcaya; this bridge is 45 meters high and 160 meters long, and it was completed in 1893. For its realization was resorted to the traditional technique of metal construction of the nineteenth century, using lightweight steel cables with alternating torsion, a technical vanguard at the time. It was the first bridge in the world that allowed ships to cross the river, and thanks to a nacelle suspended, carry passengers and vehicles from one bank to another, simultaneously. He served as a model for the construction of many similar bridges in Europe, Africa and the American continent, although very few of them still exist. Due to the innovative use of steel cables, it is considered that the Vizcaya Bridge is one of the most remarkable achievements of the Industrial Revolution on metal architecture. World Heritage in 2006.