The Pont Vell is one of Ontinyent's most iconic landmarks. Work began in 1500 and finished in 1501, by master builders and stonemasons Pere Ribera, from Xàtiva, and Joan Montanyés. For centuries it was the only way into the Vila.
What it's like
It has two round arches, slightly pointed, resting on three piers; the central one is a massive keel-shaped cutwater of ashlar blocks. It is faced with dressed stone, and its parapet was built from the remains of several town-wall gateways demolished in the late 18th century.
Around the bridge
The bridge reshaped access to the Vila, and part of the town's history grew up around it:
- The Camí dels Carros, opened during the Germanies revolt in 1520-1521: on the way down you get one of the best views of the Vila and the Raval, with houses piled one on top of another.
- The Tirador dels Peraires (16th century), where cloth-makers hung woollen cloth out to dry.
- Carrer de la Cantereria, where in the early 17th century riverside caves lived in by the poorest families were turned into houses.
Visiting
You cross it on the old town walk, on the way to Plaça de Baix and the Festival Museum. From Santa Maria bridge, upstream, you get the other classic view: the hanging houses above the river.
Source: Ontinyent Tourism.
