Already in Roman times, when Cordoba was Colonia Patricia and capital of Baetica (1st century AD), this area was a centre of commercial interest due to its proximity to the river and the crossroads of roads that converged at the entrance to the city. On the site where the monumental Puerta del Puente (Bridge Gate) stands today, there was once a large square measuring 35 m by 50 m, enclosed on its southern side by another bridge gate, this one with three spans. At its foot, a flight of steps led down to the river.
In the Muslim period, the gate was known as Bab al-Qantara.
The gate that now replaces its predecessors was built in 1575 to commemorate the visit of King Philip II to the city. Isolated from the city wall, which was completely demolished in 1912, it looks more like a triumphal arch than a gateway.
It is a three-part construction made by Hernán Ruiz III in sandstone. The side facing the river is the original. The side facing the Mosque-Cathedral was added in 1928. In 2007 it was restored and inside there is a small museum and a viewpoint with a luxurious view of the river and the bridge.
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