In this screenshot we are looking down on Ronda (Andalusia, southern Spain), a city literally split by the El Tajo gorge. The pale stone bridge crossing the chasm is the Puente Nuevo, and the large round building on the plateau is Ronda’s bullring (Plaza de Toros).
The bridge belongs to the 18th-century expansion of the city.
The Real Maestranza’s own historical material notes that the bridge was opened for passage in 1787 and inaugurated in 1793, connecting the older walled quarter (the former medina, later called La Ciudad) with the growing Mercadillo area on the other side. A deep chamber above the central arch has also been used for different purposes over time, including as a prison.
That same period reshaped the “modern” image of Ronda.
The Plaza de Toros de Ronda was inaugurated in 1785 and is known for its neoclassical design, 68 arches, and an arena about 60 metres in diameter, with room for roughly 6,000 spectators. The bullring is also officially protected as a Bien de Interés Cultural (BIC), declared in 1993. Ronda is famous today for drama and views, but the real story is practical: people built stone by stone to make the “other side of town” reachable, the same problem every growing city eventually has to solve.
Here is a high-res photo of the Puente Nuevo and the Ronda lookout (Mirador), featuring a high-resolution panoramic view. 📸