Idanha-a-Velha

The use of stepping stones - blocks of stone thrust vertically into de riverbed, allowing one to traverse the current by stepping from block to block to get to the other side – is an archaic method for crossing waterways, one that is perilous and not widely used. For this reason, they are most often used for secondary crossings, as this example illustrates. However, the unusually long line of blocks (stretching nearly 50 meters) most of which formed part of Roman architectural elements, as a large quantity of them (43) make these stones especially unique and noteworthy. Unfortunately, the date of their construction is unknown. Nonetheless, this river crossing appears to be very ancient and it is almost certain that during the Medieval era it was part of a series of westward routes to Idanha-a-Nova e Castelo Branco.