Pons Aemilius Archaeological Site

Address: Pons Aemilius (Ponte Rotto) remains, Tiber River near Forum Boarium, Rome, Italy

Hours: Public river bank access (open 24 hours)

Admission: Free (remnant of ancient bridge)

Pons Aemilius is an ancient Roman bridge across the Tiber in central Rome, remnants of which are commonly referred to as the Ponte Rotto. The structure has origins in the Roman Republic and survives only as a fragmentary arch in the river.

The surviving arch sits midstream and is visible from the nearby modern bridges and riverbanks, providing a concrete reminder of layered bridge construction at this crossing. The bridge was repaired and rebuilt several times through antiquity and the medieval period before floods and later works left only the isolated arch.

Originally constructed in the Republican era and reconstructed in stone in later centuries, the bridge served as one of the city’s principal river crossings for centuries. Recurrent flood damage and modern river works reduced the structure to its present ruinous state in the 19th century.

The site is in central Rome on the Tiber, very close to Tiber Island and the archaeological core of the city; it sits within walking distance of the Roman Forum and other central historic districts.

• Surviving arch: A single isolated stone arch remains in the Tiber and is commonly called the Ponte Rotto; it is especially visible from the riverbank and the adjacent modern bridges.

The Ponte Rotto remnant is near the Forum Boarium and Tiber Island in central Rome. Walk from the Jewish Ghetto or the Largo di Torre Argentina area; several bus lines and trams serve the nearby routes.

• Visit at low tide-light levels along the Tiber for the best photos; the lone arch is most striking when framed against reflections in the river.
• Combine with a walk to the Forum Boarium and the nearby Isola Tiberina to place the bridge fragment in ancient Roman context.
• Listen for faint echoes: the single arch is a tactile trace of repeated floods and reconstructions.