The Puente del Alamillo (Alamillo Bridge) is a cantilevered, cable suspension bridge spanning the Guadalquivir River and connects the city of Seville to the island called La Cartuja.

Puente Alamillo at Sunset

It was designed by Santiago Calatrava and built for the 1992 Universal Exposition of Sevilla. Many say that this bridge, when looked from its broad side, looks like a dragon.

Kids have contests to see who can run up the cantilever the farthest. Some, either frustrated for not being able to run up the cantilever very far or simply misguided, graffiti it. This is a shame as, just along the water under the bridge, there is an area dedicated to graffiti artists and sanctioned by the city as such. (More text after the following images)

Scullers Row Under the Alamillo Bridge

Within the Alamillo Suspensions

Looking up the Alamillo

Graffiti along the Alamillo Wall

My favorite part of the Alamillo Bridge isn’t the bridge itself. A kilometer west, on the same road of the bridge, you’ll find a rock wall, a rocódromo as the Spanish call it, under the overpass (see map below). My friend Alex and I frequented this wall to go bouldering. This is a popular spot for those who cannot escape the city for proper rock climbing. Many climbers installed holds and routes directly into the bridge’s pylons and wall. Bouldering is safe if you don’t go very high, but it should be noted that the ground is concrete and even a small fall would be disastrous. There are plenty of carabiners to secure yourself for roped climbs if bouldering is not your thing. Holds are attached 180° under the bridge, so one could (in theory) climb up one pylon and down another after crossing horizontally under the bridge. Best of all, it is completely free, open to the public, and never very busy. Alex and I loved climbing around and up the pylons. See the horrible camera-phone photos below.

Alamillo Bridge Rock Wall

Rock Holds under the Alamillo Bridge

Main Rock Wall at the Alamillo Bridge

The Location of the Alamillo Rocodromo

Deciphering the map: The bridge spanning the Guadalquivir River on the right side is the Alamillo Bridge. The blue flag is, of course, where you’ll find the rock wall. South of the rock wall are pavilions (pabellones) associated with the 1992 Expo. To the east of that is the water park, Isla Magica.