For seven centuries, the only way across the Guadalquivir here was a pontoon bridge of thirteen boats chained together. The Puente de Barcas, first built by the Almohad dynasty in 1172, was dangerous in bad weather and frequently out of action for months. Sandy soil and irregular river flow made a permanent crossing almost impossible. This may explain why Triana, on the far bank, developed such a fiercely independent identity.

The bridge today was built by French engineers in 1852, modelled on one across the Seine in Paris. Officially named after Queen Isabella II, everyone calls it the Puente de Triana. It marks the threshold between Seville's historic centre and a neighbourhood famous for flamenco, ceramics and fierce local pride.

VoiceMap's self-guided audio tours use the bridge to trace Triana's story, from its Roma roots in flamenco and forges to the Inquisition headquarters that once loomed beside the river.