It formed part of the Calzada de la Plata (Silver trade route) that joined Mérida with Astorga. It is believed to date from the times of Vespasian and only the fifteen arches close to the city are Romanesque; the other eleven have undergone several reconstructions, the last one in 1677. Next to the bridge is a stone sculpture of an Iberian hog, representative of Preroman Salamancan art, of Celtic origin.