Hannibal's Bridge, Rapallo, Italy

Hannibal's Bridge (Ponte Annibale) is apparently one of the oldest structures in Rapallo. This bridge was possibly used by Carthaginian commander Hannibal during his campaign against Rome in the second Punic War, where he possibly unloaded supplies on the Tigullia coast (region from Portofino to Anzo di Framura). The bridge could also be connected to the Battle of Trebbia (218 BC).

The structure's name first appears in a notary deed dated April 7, 1049, where it is claimed that 'Rainaldo donated some land near the bridge to the Genovese Church of Santa Maria di Castello'.

The bridge was renovated in 1733 after widespread flooding. Ninety years later, after the Kingdom of Sardinia had annexed all of Liguria, the final section of the creek that the bridge spanned was diverted to construct a new road to Santa Margherita. Today, the overgrown bridge is closed off to the public but is visibly located in downtown Rapallo, crossing over the Corso Cristoforo Colombo thoroughfare to Santa Margherita.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

JEAN PAUL AMBROSIO (2 years ago)
Rapallo ville de bord de mer, parfait endroit pour visiter portofino et les 5 terres.

Lory Demartini (2 years ago)
Attribuito erroneamente ad Annibale,l'antico ponte in stile Romano,e' un pezzo di storia.Il piu' antico atto che da' notizia del ponte,e' del 7 aprile 1049.Tratta di una donazione dove Rainaldo dono' alla chiesa di Santa Maria di Castello i beni che possedeva a Rapallo tra cui le terre che si trovavano intorno al ponte.A causa di numerose alluvioni il ponte venne riparato e ristrutturato nel 1733....Novant'anni piu' tardi,nel 1823,si decise di deviare il torrente Boate nel tratto finale,per realizzare una nuova strada carrozzabile per Santa Margherita.Per questo motivo oggi il ponte rimane un opera da ammirare x la sua linea e x le antiche pietre.

gio olmi (2 years ago)
Ben segnalata la sua particolarità storica e ben tenuto ..peccato sia un punto nevralgico x il traffico(velocità auto,manovre grandi mezzi x centrare l'altezza giusta dell'arcata)e per l'attraversamento dei pedoni.. Non è certo "colpa" del monumento ma riduce il tempo dedicato alla sua "ammirazione"! Risolvo guardandolo da via Marco Polo,vedendolo " entrare"sul retro di un giardino privato,con fiori e voli di tortore!

Enrico Knoll (4 years ago)
You can't cross the old bridge...

Jason Freeman (4 years ago)
The bridge itself is very impressive but the location is not very attractive because it is too closed in with buildings to appreciate the structure. Also you cannot walk on the bridge. The sign board is not very helpful as it does not explain actual history of the bridge very well. For example it could talk about when it might date from given the design of the bridge and the materials used, and where the route it is on actually led to. In this regard the description on the Commune di Rapallo website is better. There is instead a lengthy discussion about the early tribes that lived in the area at the time of Hannibal, which is irrelevant since clearly Hannibal did not built this bridge. Further it is unlikely that the Teguli derived their name from a type of tile as the sign board claims, and more likely that the type of tile tool its name from them. It would be better to describe when the bridge was first associated with Hannibal and why.

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Veste Coburg

The Veste Coburg is one of Germany's largest castles. The hill on which the fortress stands was inhabited from the Neolithic to the early Middle Ages according to the results of excavations. The first documentary mention of Coburg occurs in 1056, in a gift by Richeza of Lotharingia. Richeza gave her properties to Anno II, Archbishop of Cologne, to allow the creation of Saalfeld Abbey in 1071. In 1075, a chapel dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Paul is mentioned on the fortified Coberg. This document also refers to a Vogt named Gerhart, implying that the local possessions of the Saalfeld Benedictines were administered from the hill.

A document signed by Pope Honorius II in 1206 refers to a mons coburg, a hill settlement. In the 13th century, the hill overlooked the town of Trufalistat (Coburg's predecessor) and the important trade route from Nuremberg via Erfurt to Leipzig. A document dated from 1225 uses the term schloss (palace) for the first time. At the time, the town was controlled by the Dukes of Merania. They were followed in 1248 by the Counts of Henneberg who ruled Coburg until 1353, save for a period from 1292-1312, when the House of Ascania was in charge.

In 1353, Coburg fell to Friedrich, Markgraf von Meißen of the House of Wettin. His successor, Friedrich der Streitbare was awarded the status of Elector of Saxony in 1423. As a result of the Hussite Wars the fortifications of the Veste were expanded in 1430.

Early modern times through Thirty Years' War

In 1485, in the Partition of Leipzig, Veste Coburg fell to the Ernestine branch of the family. A year later, Elector Friedrich der Weise and Johann der Beständige took over the rule of Coburg. Johann used the Veste as a residence from 1499. In 1506/07, Lucas Cranach the Elder lived and worked in the Veste. From April to October 1530, during the Diet of Augsburg, Martin Luther sought protection at the Veste, as he was under an Imperial ban at the time. Whilst he stayed at the fortress, Luther continued with his work translating the Bible into German. In 1547, Johann Ernst moved the residence of the ducal family to a more convenient and fashionable location, Ehrenburg Palace in the town centre of Coburg. The Veste now only served as a fortification.

In the further splitting of the Ernestine line, Coburg became the seat of the Herzogtum von Sachsen-Coburg, the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg. The first duke was Johann Casimir (1564-1633), who modernized the fortifications. In 1632, the fortress was unsuccessfully besieged by Imperial and Bavarian forces commanded by Albrecht von Wallenstein for seven days during the Thirty Years' War. Its defence was commanded by Georg Christoph von Taupadel. On 17 March 1635, after a renewed siege of five months' duration, the Veste was handed over to the Imperials under Guillaume de Lamboy.

17th through 19th centuries

From 1638-72, Coburg and the Veste were part of the Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg. In 1672, they passed to the Dukes of Saxe-Gotha and in 1735 it was joined to the Duchy of Saxe-Saalfeld. Following the introduction of Primogeniture by Duke Franz Josias (1697-1764), Coburg went by way of Ernst Friedrich (1724-1800) to Franz (1750-1806), noted art collector, and to Duke Ernst III (1784-1844), who remodeled the castle.

In 1826, the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha was created and Ernst now styled himself 'Ernst I'. Military use of the Veste had ceased by 1700 and outer fortifications had been demolished in 1803-38. From 1838-60, Ernst had the run-down fortress converted into a Gothic revival residence. In 1860, use of the Zeughaus as a prison (since 1782) was discontinued. Through a successful policy of political marriages, the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha established links with several of the major European dynasties, including that of the United Kingdom.

20th century

The dynasty ended with the reign of Herzog Carl Eduard (1884-1954), also known as Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, a grandson of Queen Victoria, who until 1919 also was the 2nd Duke of Albany in the United Kingdom. Under his rule, many changes made to the Veste in the 19th century were reversed under architect Bodo Ebhardt, with the aim of restoring a more authentic medieval look. Along with the other ruling princes of Germany, Carl Eduard was deposed in the revolution of 1918-1919. After Carl Eduard abdicated in late 1918, the Veste came into possession of the state of Bavaria, but the former duke was allowed to live there until his death. The works of art collected by the family were gifted to the Coburger Landesstiftung, a foundation, which today runs the museum.

In 1945, the Veste was seriously damaged by artillery fire in the final days of World War II. After 1946, renovation works were undertaken by the new owner, the Bayerische Verwaltung der staatlichen Schlösser, Gärten und Seen.

Today

The Veste is open to the public and today houses museums, including a collection art objects and paintings that belonged to the ducal family of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, a large collection of arms and armor, significant examples of early modern coaches and sleighs, and important collections of prints, drawings and coins.

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