The longest bridge and the highest point in Valencia

The "L'Assut de l'Or", "Golden Waterwheel" Bridge takes its name from the waterwheel in the city's former water network which made it possible to raise the water level and to channel the irrigation ditches for watering the vegetable gardens. This bridge is located on the extension of Menorca Street, connecting the northern and southern ends of the Turia River's former riverbed.

Designed by Santiago Calatrava and built by FCC Construcción for C.A.C.S.A. ("Ciudad de las Artes y de las Ciencias, S.A.") this grand structure has become Valencia's longest bridge and highest point.


Its lightweight frame and technical elegances are of undeniable aesthetic qualities, comprising a harmonious whole and integrating totally into architectural environment the City of Art and Science.

This is a cable-stayed bridge with a white concrete and steel frame measuring 180 m in length and weighing 5,500 tons, with a spar 125 m in height. It is stayed by 29 front, harp-design cables and 4 sets of rear stay tube-cables.

This bridge has been designed using a number of arches interlaced in elevation view and a straight directrix in plan view with a deck crossing a 180 m span between supports and a maximum height of 10 m over the level of the developed walkways. The bridge is 39 m wide.

The metal deck is supported by means of a number of stays anchored to an inclined spar of a curved directrix. It is comprised of a central column in two-cell metal box beam following the layout in elevation view of the carriageway. From this column, are cantilevered the 72 ribs supporting the carriageway slabbing, with uniform 5.00 m dividers, designed as variable-edged double-T metal beams. Each rib weights 21 tons, measuring 6 meters in width by 14 m in length.

The spar, which is also metal, varies in slope, starting at 150 m from the north support on an approximately 40-degree slope at its starting point, to end at its upper end tangent to the vertical.

As regards the lighting, an attempt has been made to avoid obstructing the overall view of the City of Art and Science, the lighting therefore being trained mainly on the deck and pylon.

The construction of this infrastructure opens up one of the major thoroughfares of the City of Valencia, such as the South Boulevard and breaks with the horizontality of the City of Art and Science by linking the Oceanographic Museum, the Agora, the Umbracle, the Science Museum, the Hemisphere and the Queen Sophia Art Center.

This bridge makes it possible to drive all the way around the City by connecting the North Roundabout with the South Boulevard. With three lanes in each direction, traffic on this bridge averages 70,000 vehicles / day. It is also readied for the tram (L2) to run over the bridge in the future, with a 3.5 tram lane. At the center is a pedestrian and bike lane platform.