Its stone arch measured 40 meters and curved majestically over the river, 21 meters above the water.
It was considered one of the regions most important landmarks.
In the six years prior to its construction, two attempts were made by other builders.
Both had proven unsuccessful, with the bridge collapsing during construction.
In 1863 it collapsed on the very day of its inauguration, presumably in front of a stunned audience.
Photo credit
During World War II, the bridge was bombed by the Germans near its center.
It came out unscathed with only minor damages which were quickly repaired by the locals using cement.
The bridges structural stability, however, was questioned by experts.
Consequently, a 15 cm crack had developed in a region where there was a concentration of horizontal stresses.
The bridge nearly collapsed during heavy rains in 2007.
A restoration was considered but surprisingly not taken.
The inevitable end came on first February 2015.
Restoration of the bridge was announced shortly after.
At the time of this writing, the status of the bridge was not known.
