Puente de San Martin Toledo – A Feat of Medieval Architecture

Where is the Puente de San Martin?

The Puente de San Martín is located in the city of Toledo, Spain, south of Madrid.

The bridge is in the west of the city center, and it’s one of the western entries in the center, together with the bigger Puente de la Cava.

Facts about the Puente de San Martin Toledo

Are you fond of facts? I know I am! I love learning more about a place and its history with some quick & interesting facts, so I’ve gathered a few about the San Martin Bridge for you:

• the first bridge in this location was built in the 13th century, but was destroyed in 1355 by Pedro I of Castile
• the Puente de San Martin that you can see today was restored in 1390, under the orders of the Archbishop Pedro Tenorio
• the bridge has 5 arches, with the main one spanning over 40 meters (132 feet) and 27 meters high (89 feet), making it one of the largest bridges of its time
• it was designated National Monument in 1921

Discovering the Puente de San Martín

Before visiting Segovia and Avila, I had only one day left in Spain; I chose Toledo as my last destination. Except for going to the Mirador del Valle for sunrise, I had absolutely no plan for visiting the city.

So I went with the plan (the little plan I had), and was ready to go with the flow.

As expected, the view from the Mirador was absolutely incredible. Actually, even better than I had expected.

After flying my drone above the city, I noticed 2 epic stone bridges over the Tejo river, on each side of the city: it was the Puente de San Martin in the west, and the Puente del Alcantara in the east. I have to say, they looked truly stunning from above.

After seeing the bridge from above (you can’t tell me it doesn’t look epic!), I had made up my mind: I was going to explore the bridge for my second spot of the day.

After a very short drive to the bottom of the hill, I reached the bridge, just in time to see it kissed by the morning sun.

There is 2 fortified towers on the bridge, one at each side. They add to the overall ambiance of the place, and you really feel transported in medieval times when standing on the bridge.

The western tower as seen from standing on the bridge

When you go through that first gate on the exterior side (furthest from the city), you see the bridge in front of you, with the second fortified tower at the end, and a massive monument towering above the trees.

The building you can see on the right side on the image above is the Monastery of San Juan de Los Reyes, built by King Ferdinand II of Aragon in 1504.

As you might imagine, I was drawn to this monastery, and decided to cross the bridge to go see it from closer.

Apart from the bridge itself, the view you get from standing on the bridge is also pretty nice. I stood there for a few minutes, marveling at the simple beauty of the water flowing under the bridge.

As I got closer to the other end, I could see the second tower, a lot different than the first one.

Does anyone live here? 

After crossing the bridge, and walking under the second tower, I kept going for a bit, and soon find myself higher up on the other river bank. From there, I had a different, yet equally as impressive view of the bridge.

I highly recommend crossing the bridge and going to the other side, where you’ll get to enjoy the view on the pictures above. You can then continue your visit of Toledo with the nearby Monastery. Need help to plan your visit? Check out this free walking tour (yes there’s a map!)

The Legend Around the Puente de San Martin

The San Martin bridge was an incredible feat of architecture at the time it was built, but it didn’t start out that way. In fact, it started out incredibly badly, and was destined to failure.

While the construction of the bridge was already quite advanced, the main architect came to the realization that his original calculations were wrong, and that he had made a mistake.

Once the scaffoldings would be removed, the main arch would collapse under its own weight.

The architect was so worried, but he told no one, fearing the punishments that would come upon him for his failure. He told no one, but his wife.

Legend has it that after learning about the failure, his wife went out in secret one night during a storm, and set fire to the scaffoldings; the arch collapsed.

The next day, the people of Toledo thought that the storm had destroyed the bridge.

The architect was then able to correct his mistake, and he rebuilt the bridge with correct calculations. This resulted in the magnificent bridge you can see today, a marvel of architecture and a very impressive construction for the time.

How to Get to Toledo

You can either get to Toledo by car, or by train.

By car

Toledo is a perfect day trip from Madrid, and from other Spanish cities. You’ll find below the driving time from nearby cities:

From Madrid: 1h

From Segovia: 1h35

From Valencia: 3h30

It’s difficult to drive and park in the city; the best option is to find a parking outside of the city walls, then walk to the center.

When you’ll reach Toledo, head to the north east of the city, right outside of the city walls. This is where you’ll find the cheapest parking options, and the most parking spaces available.

By train

If you don’t have a car, you can get to Toledo by train from Madrid. There is a direct train that goes straight from Madrid to Toledo.

From: Madrid-Puerta de Atocha

To: Toledo

Duration: 33 minutes

Cost: 13.90€ (average price)

Book here: Train to Toledo

You can also take the trains from other cities in Spain (Barcelona, Segovia, …), just click on the link above to see all options.

From the Toledo train station, you can walk to the city center, which will take you around 20 minutes.

Where to Stay Near the Puente San Martin Toledo

If you’re visiting Toledo, you have several options for where to stay. You’ll find below hotels depending on your travel style:

Budget: Albergue Juvenil Los Pascuales

Cheapest accommodation in Toledo, for around 14€ per night.

This youth hostel is only 2 minutes away from the Toledo Cathedral and the Toledo Castle. It also comes with included breakfast!

Comfy: Hotel San Juan de los Reyes

The Hotel San Juan de los Reyes is my favorite accommodation for a comfy stay in Avila, for around 75€ per night.

It’s ideally located in Toledo, a short walk from all the main sights. The beds are pretty comfy, and the included breakfast makes it a perfect choice for your stay in Avila. You’ll also enjoy free parking (which is nice in Toledo), and spacious bathroom with a hydro-massage bathtubs, perfect to relax after a long day of exploration in the city.

Luxury: Almunia de San Miguel

The best hotel in Toledo, hands down.

The Almunia de San Miguel has everything you’ll need, and even more: free parking, breakfast included, incredible rooms, and the location… The hotel is right next to the castle and the cathedral, you can’t be closer! There’s even a rooftop terrace with panoramic views of the city.

Visit Spain

Planning a trip to Toledo and Spain? You can find below several other articles about this wonderful part of the world to help you plan your trip:

Toledo Guides:

The Best Things to Do in Toledo!

The Stunning Sinagoga Santa Maria la Blanca

Visit the Monastery of San Juan de Los Reyes

Spain Guides:

Best Sunrise Spot in Mallorca

Free Walking Tour of Avila

How to get from Madrid to Segovia

I hope you enjoy your trip to Toledo and to Spain!

If you have any questions, let me know in the comments below, I always reply.