Spain Trip #45: Knocked in the Puente Nueve on the Head

Rob got slammed in the head by a hat! 

Today's blog is the second of two parts of our visit to the small town of Ronda, (in southern) Spain. In today's blog, you'll read about the bridge and how I (Rob) was knocked hard in the head on a bridge by a freak weather event!

HEAD SHOT! - In yesterday's blog we explained that the Puente Nuevo massive stone bridge that spanned the the 120-meter (393.7 foot)-deep chasm that carries the Guadalevín River and divides the city of Ronda. 
  After walking through Ronda, we crossed the bridge for the second time to return to the shuttle. I (Rob) was walking in front of Tom, and in front of us there were a lot of people. One young guy who stood about 6 feet tall was wearing a new baseball hat... and suddenly a 50+ mph wind gust howled up the chasm!  Instantly, the wind swept the baseball hat off the head of the 6 foot man and it spun in the air and the hard brim struck me on the right side of my forehead. It felt like I was hit by a piece of metal!  
   First, it hurt like hell. Second, it swelled into a lump. Third, it instantly made me dizzy and gave me a headache. After 4 hours or so, the pain and dizziness subsided. 
   Who would have thought a baseball hat to the forehead could hurt so much?!?!?!

HISTORY OF THE BRIDGE: The construction of the newest Puente Nueve Bridge (the third one and the one that stands today) was started in 1759 and took 34 years to build.

HIDDEN PRISON IN THE BRIDGE: There is a chamber above the central arch that was used for a variety of purposes, including as a prison. During the 1936-1939 civil war both sides allegedly used the prison as a torture chamber for captured opponents, killing some by throwing them from the windows to the rocks at the bottom of the El Tajo gorge. The chamber is entered through a square building that was once the guard-house. It now contains an exhibition describing the bridge's history and construction.

THE ARCHITECT AND BUILDER - The architect was José Martin de Aldehuela, who died in Málaga in 1802. The chief builder was Juan Antonio Díaz Machuca.

1741 BRIDGE COLLAPSE - Construction of the previous bridge started in 1735, this was the first attempt to span the gorge at this height and was completed by the architects Jose Garcia and Juan Camacho using a single arch design. Unfortunately, this bridge was quickly and poorly built and in 1741 the entire bridge collapsed resulting in the death of 50 people.

NEXT: ARRIVAL IN SEVILLE!