Some historians date the construction of the bridge to the first century A.D. under the Roman Emperor Marcus Ulpius Traianus. The bridge crosses one of the widest stretches of the Tormes River and is located on rocky subsoil. It is 176 m long and 3.70 m wide with 26 round arches and robust pillars. Only the arches closest to Salamanca are from Roman times. The others were from the reconstruction of the XVIII century. It forms part of the Roman Silver Road that linked Merida and Astorga.  The bridge is protected by a figure of a boar, placed on the Salamanca side of the bridge.

The bridge offers excellent views over the Old and the New Cathedral.