Bridge over the Metauro River

Local tradition considers the bridge that crosses the Metauro river in Fermignano to be from the Roman era, although the oldest information on this monument dates back to 1364. It is a monumental structure with three arches, built in stone blocks arranged in low rows and with sections of brick restoration. The construction technique is similar to that used to build the adjacent Tower, which was built to defend the significant transit point. In fact, it probably had the role of controlling the important ford on the Metauro, of a toll station, as well as of city defence. The Tower (24m high) appears to be a typical medieval factory, perhaps resting on presumably Roman foundations. The Bridge and Tower are closely connected and appear to constitute a single monumental complex, of fundamental strategic importance in the context of medieval roads.

The Bridge is the symbol, together with the Tower, of Fermignano; its construction allowed the connection between the villas of the territory and the expansion of the valley, and today it is the pedestrian passage that connects the historic centre with some of the peripheral neighborhoods of the town under which flows the Metauro river praised by Torquato Tasso in his “Canzone al Metauro”.
Included by Ponti storici italiani, among the 15 famous masterpieces in the world, classified by Skyscanner among the 30 most beautiful bridges in Italy and in 2018, on the occasion of Europe Day, a stamp was issued by the Ministry of Economic Development – Europe theme, dedicated to the Ponte sul Metauro of Fermignano.