Ponte Milvio (Milvian Bridge) (Pons Milvius)
18th century engraving by Piranesi
Crosses	Tiber
Locale	Rome, Italy
Design	Arch bridge
Material	Stone, brick
Total length	136 metres (450 ft)
Width	8.75 metres (28.7 ft)
Longest span	18.55 metres (60.9 ft)
Number of spans	6
Completion date	115 BC (stone bridge)
Coordinates	41°56′08″N 12°28′01″E / 41.93556°N 12.46694°E / 41.93556; 12.46694Coordinates: 41°56′08″N 12°28′01″E / 41.93556°N 12.46694°E / 41.93556; 12.46694

The Milvian (or Mulvian) Bridge (Italian: Ponte Molle or Ponte Milvio, Latin: Pons Milvius or Pons Mulvius) in northern Rome, Italy, is one of the most important bridges over the Tiber.

Contents 1 History 2 See also 3 References 4 Sources 5 External links

[edit] History

The bridge was built by consul Gaius Claudius Nero in 206 BC, after he had defeated the Carthaginan army in the Battle of the Metaurus. In 115 BC, consul Marcus Aemilius Scaurus built a new bridge made of stone in the same position, demolishing the old one. In AD 312, Constantine I defeated his stronger rival Maxentius between this bridge and Saxa Rubra, in the famous Battle of Milvian Bridge.

During the Middle Ages, the bridge was renovated by a monk named Acuzio, and in 1429 Pope Martin V asked a famous architect, Francesco da Genazzano, to repair the collapsing bridge. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the bridge was modified by two artists, Giuseppe Valadier and Domenico Pigiani.

In late 2006, the bridge began attracting couples, who use a lamppost on the bridge to hang padlocks as a sign of their love. The ritual involves the couple locking the padlock to the lamppost, then throwing the key behind them into the Tiber. The ritual was invented by author Federico Moccia for his popular book and movie "I Want You".

After April 13, 2007, couples had to stop this habit because that day the lamppost, owing to the weight of all padlocks, partially collapsed. As a replacement, a web site has been created allowing couples to use virtual padlocks^[1] From July 2007, for people in love, it's possible to hang padlocks again thanks to steel columns put by the mayor.^[2]

[edit] See also

• List of Roman bridges
• Roman architecture
• Roman engineering

[edit] References

[edit] Sources

• O’Connor, Colin (1993), Roman Bridges, Cambridge University Press, pp. 64f., ISBN 0-521-39326-4 

[edit] External links

• Media related to Ponte Milvio at Wikimedia Commons
• Pons Mulvius (II) in the Structurae database
• Ritual draws sweethearts to Rome bridge article describing the padlock ritual
• Google Map
• Where to eat Ponte Milvio night life and restaurants review

v • d • e Ancient Bridges on the Tiber (from up- to downstream) Upstream: Milvius (Molle)  · Ælius (Sant'Angelo)  · Neronianus†  · Agrippae (Sisto)  · Aurelius† After the Island: Fabricius  · Cestius  · Æmilius (Rotto)†  · Sublicius†  · Probi† †: partly or wholly underwater or demolished  · Names are in the original Latin; in parentheses are the Italian names that differ significantly

v • d • e Roman bridges Germany Caesar's Rhine bridges  · Römerbrücke (Trier) France Pont Ambroix  · Pont de Bornègre  · Pont Flavien  · Pont du Gard  · Pont Julien  · Pont sur la Laye  · Pont des Marchands  · Pont Serme  · Roman Bridge (Saint-Thibéry)  · Roman Bridge (Vaison-la-Romaine) Italy Pons Aemilius  · Ponte Altinate  · Pons Cestius  · Pons Fabricius  · Pons Sublicius  · Pont d'Aël  · Pont de Pierre (Aosta)  · Pont-Saint-Martin  · Ponte d'Augusto (Rimini)  · Ponte Corvo  · Ponte del Gran Caso  · Ponte Milvio  · Ponte Molino (Padua)  · Ponte Nomentano  · Ponte Pietra (Verona)  · Ponte di Pioraco  · Ponte di Quintodecimo  · Ponte Salario  · Ponte San Lorenzo  · Ponte Sant'Angelo Portugal Ponte de Rubiães  · Ponte São João  · Roman Bridge (Chaves) Spain Acueducto de los Milagros  · Alcántara Bridge  · Alconétar Bridge  · Aqüeducte de les Ferreres · Puente Romano (Mérida)  · Segovia Aqueduct Bridge Syria Bridge at Nimreh  · Gemarrin Bridge  · Kharaba Bridge Turkey Aesepus Bridge  · Bridge at Oinoanda  · Constantine's Bridge (Mysia)  · Eurymedon Bridge  · Karamagara Bridge  · Kemer Bridge  · Limyra Bridge  · Makestos Bridge  · Nysa Bridge  · Penkalas Bridge  · Pergamon Bridge  · Sangarius Bridge  · Severan Bridge  · Stone Bridge (Adana)  · Valens Aqueduct Bridge  · White Bridge (Mysia) Other countries Chesters Bridge  · Constantine's Bridge (Danube)  · Leontes Bridge  · Piercebridge Roman Bridge  · Trajan's Bridge Full list of Roman bridges