Editing Badajoz (section)

===Bridges===
[[File:Atardecer en Badajoz.jpg|thumb|left|View of the Guadiana, Puente Real bridge and the Caja Badajoz building]]

The city of Badajoz is home to five bridges, four of which span the Guadiana.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aytobadajoz.es/es/ayto/monumentos|title=Sights (Badajoz)|publisher=Ayuntamiento de Badajoz|access-date=10 July 2013|archive-date=July 8, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130708160314/http://www.aytobadajoz.es/es/ayto/monumentos|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://badajozayeryhoy.net/puentes%20de%20badajoz.html|title=Bridges of Badajoz|publisher=Badajoz Ayer y Hoy|access-date=14 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130812153020/http://badajozayeryhoy.net/puentes%20de%20badajoz.html|archive-date=August 12, 2013|url-status=usurped|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

[[File:Puente de Palmas de Badajoz 2.jpg|thumb|right|Puente de Palmas]]
The Puente de Palmas, also known as Puente Viejo, is the oldest bridge in Badajoz; the masonry was first laid in 1460, but a sudden rise in the river's waters destroyed the structure in 1545.<ref name="Puente Palmas">{{cite web|url=http://www.aytobadajoz.es/es/ayto/monumentos/puente-de-palmas|title=Puente de Palmas|publisher=Ayuntamiento de Badajoz|access-date=10 July 2013|archive-date=July 12, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130712075652/http://www.aytobadajoz.es/es/ayto/monumentos/puente-de-palmas|url-status=live}}</ref> It was rebuilt under D. Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, Governor of Badajoz, during the reign of Philip II of Spain. In 1603, 16 of its 24 spans were destroyed by floods and were restored between 1609 and 1612. The bridge was once again rebuilt in 1833; José María Otero was the engineer and Valentin Falcato, the architect.<ref name="Puente Palmas"/> Further improvements were made during the early 21st century, when the number of spans was increased to 32 and towers were added at both ends giving a total length of {{convert|600|m|ft}}.<ref name="Puente Palmas"/> The bridge reflects the city's history with all the changes made to its spans, arches, pillars and buttresses over the centuries.

Puente de la Universidad, or Puente Nuevo, is downstream of the old Palmas Bridge. It was built in 1960.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.aytobadajoz.es/es/ayto/monumentos/puente-de-la-universidad|title=Puente de la Universidad|language=es|access-date=12 July 2013|publisher=Ayuntamiento de Badajoz|archive-date=July 12, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130712075724/http://www.aytobadajoz.es/es/ayto/monumentos/puente-de-la-universidad#.UeA_am22rLk|url-status=live}}</ref> Puente de la Autonomía Extremeña was completed in 1990 and is located upstream of Puente de Palmas, connecting to the major roads which lead to Madrid and to Highway N-435 Badajoz-Fregenal de la Sierra.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.aytobadajoz.es/es/ayto/monumentos/puente-de-la-autonomia|title=Puente de la Autonomía|language=es|access-date=12 July 2013|publisher=Ayuntamiento de Badajoz|archive-date=July 12, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130712125114/http://www.aytobadajoz.es/es/ayto/monumentos/puente-de-la-autonomia|url-status=live}}</ref> Puente Real is a suspension bridge across the Guadiana, the fourth bridge in the city which was completed in 1994 The foundation stone was laid by the King of Spain in 1992. It has six spans of [[viaducts]] of {{convert|32|m|ft}} each in a total bridge length of {{convert|452|m|ft}}. It has a bicycle lane and links to the Elvas Avenue leading to Portugal and many other city centres.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.aytobadajoz.es/es/ayto/monumentos/puente-real|title=Puente Real|language=es|access-date=12 July 2013|publisher=Ayuntamiento de Badajoz|archive-date=July 12, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130712075805/http://www.aytobadajoz.es/es/ayto/monumentos/puente-real#.UeA_z222rLk|url-status=live}}</ref>