Comparing arc shapes
History of Cavez Bridge
Five arches, more than one era
Three central pointed arches and two round arches beside the banks: the Bridge of Cavez brings together different forms and periods. The Museum dates the medieval construction to the second half of the 13th century, serving the road between Braga and Vila Pouca de Aguiar. The source attributes the round arches to work during Philip II’s reign and mentions a marker from 1599. In the 19th century, the road between Fafe and Vila Pouca de Aguiar brought a widening of the deck. Looking at the bridge means seeking the changes in an old crossing. According to the Museum, the stone bridge replaced an earlier wooden one that had deteriorated. Construction is attributed to Frei Lourenço Mendes, a Dominican who collected alms for the work; the museum text mentions testamentary bequests supporting that connection. The crossing thus involves materials, routes and ways to fund a shared undertaking.

Vamos experimentar?
- Draw an arc pointed and another semicircular, from the descriptions.
- Associate the three central openings and the two sides to the forms indicated in the text.
- Note the partial photograph: Mark only the visible arches without completing the frame as if you were seeing them all.
Reading and drawing exercises; schemes do not reproduce the dimensions of the bridge.
Open a história e os seus recursos →Sources of this proposal
- Land Museum of Basto — Ponte de Cavez, 27/02/2022Consultation/revision: 2026-11-07
- Municipality of Cabeceiras de Basto — Parish memories of 1758: CavezConsultation/revision: 2026-11-07
- Municipality — conclusion of rehabilitation of Ponte de Cavez, 30/04/2019Consultation/revision: 2026-11-07
My findings
An idea, a drawing or a question to go on.