The Puente del Hacho, a huge iron bridge over the Guadahortuna River in Granada province, is located between the towns of Alamedilla and Guadahortuna. It was built in between 1886 and 1895 before finally coming into use in 1898. A close look at its structure and you can easily imagine that Gustave Eiffel himself was responsible for its design. He wasn’t, but the French engineers Duval and Boutilliea who were, worked with him on the design and construction of a rather more famous tower in the French capital! It is a marvellous feat of engineering and stands literally in the middle of nowhere so you’ll need your own wheels to visit, but take a picnic and make a day of it. You won’t regret it!
In the 1970s the maintenance of the bridge was prohibitively expensive and newer diesel engines were too heavy to cross. A new concrete alternative was built alongside to keep the route open. Fortunately the old bridge is in the process of being declared a site of special interest so hopefully there is no longer a danger of it disappearing any time soon. Since its removal from service the bridge had hardly been maintained at all. A preliminary intervention was carried out in 2018 to stop parts falling off into the valley below. Rust and breakage of the bolts and joints threatened its existence. If work had not been carried out, this unique example of industrial architecture would have disappeared. Its classification as an Asset of Cultural Interest will be decisive in saving the bridge. It will now be included in the General Registry of Assets of Cultural Interest, while the processing of its status continues.
You can’t walk across the bridge. That is strictly prohibited, and for safety reasons probably correct! By parking near the train station though, you can get quite up close and personal with this rusting relic. It’s a fascinating thing to see. The station may well be maintained but there are no train services stopping there which is a shame as this could really be something for day trippers to see. The tracks show that the line is in use (it is part of the line that connects Linares with Almería), but it’s merely a halt for freight and passenger trains should their crossing of the bridge coincide with another in the opposite direction. In all the time we were there, we didn’t see a train!
Above the station are the crumbling remains of some buildings once associated with the railway. It looks like an old water storage tank with some round concrete structures and an old house nearby. It’s great for a bit of Urbex, but you can only really admire it from the outside. A road goes down the side and underneath the bridge. We drove down there and parked in the shade for our picnic as the bright Andalucian sun was unforgiving!
If you really want more technical details and data about the bridge, take a look at Sur Este Industrial! We hope you have enjoyed reading about this little-known bridge which really should be something of an industrial icon. If you know any more about it, or have visited yourself, please let us know in the comments.
