Puente de la Exposición

Interesting facts

1. 1

   The bridge's nickname, 'La Peineta', refers to the traditional ornate Spanish hair comb that the arched design resembles.

2. 2

   It is built on the site of the former Puente de la Exposición, which was destroyed by the massive 1957 Valencia flood.

3. 3

   The entire structure is painted a high-contrast, brilliant white, common in Calatrava’s bridge designs to emphasize geometry.

4. 4

   The bridge deck is suspended from the arch by 24 steel cables, 12 on each side.

5. 5

   It connects directly to the Alameda Metro station, which is located partially beneath the bridge's eastern end.

6. 6

   The bridge was specifically designed to handle heavy traffic flow while providing a clear sightline into the sunken Turia park.

7. 7

   It is one of several bridges designed by Santiago Calatrava in his home city of Valencia, forming part of a larger architectural trail.

8. 8

   The construction was part of a larger urban plan to modernize the Alameda district following the diversion of the Turia river.

Overview

The Puente de la Exposición, locally known as the 'La Peineta' (The Comb) due to its distinctive arched structure, is a steel road bridge crossing the Turia Gardens in Valencia. Designed by architect Santiago Calatrava, it was inaugurated in 1995 to improve access to the city center and the Alameda district. The bridge features a single, 14-meter-high inclined arch that supports the deck through a system of tension cables. It spans 131 meters in length and 26 meters in width. The structure connects the Expo area to the rest of the city, built to replace a previous bridge dating back to the 1909 Regional Exhibition. It serves both pedestrian and vehicular traffic, seamlessly integrating modern civil engineering with the historic Turia riverbed park below. The bright white, skeletal aesthetic is a trademark example of Calatrava's minimalist structural expressionism.

Insider tips

• Walk down into the Turia Gardens below the bridge for a dramatic perspective looking up at the arch.

• Visit at dusk when the bridge's architectural lighting illuminates the arch against the evening sky.

• Bring a wide-angle lens if you intend to photograph the full span of the arch from the park level.