page_title: Ponte da Cava da Velha
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Ponte da Cava da Velha / History
caption_attribution_description: Rio Castro Laboreiro, Ponte Nova
context_page_description: The Bridge of Cava da Velha is a Roman bridge, situated in the civil parish of Castro Laboreiro e Lamas de Mouro, in the municipality of Melgaço in northern Portuguese district of Viana do Castelo.
context_section_description: The name Ponte Nova indicates the existence of another structure constructed in the same local (or nearby) at one time anteceding the current bridge. This may actually be the nearby Ponte de São Brás or Ponta da Assureira. 
  The bridge linked the Roman road to Espanha through Portela do Homem, passing through Estrimo (in Spain), Ameixoeira, Porto do Vaga and Assureira - Cova da Velha - Varziela - Castro Laboreiro. The bridge was largely constructed in the 1st century, but does not appear in the two most comprehensive lists of Roman bridges.
  During the Middle Ages, the bridge was reconstructed to take on its current form. 
  On 11 May 1758, there was a reference to the bridge, alongside the bridge of São Brás (or Assureira) by the priest Inácio Ribeiro Marques in the parish Memórias Paroquiais.
caption: A view of the bridge from the north shore
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