Portuguese Bridge

Built in the 16th century by the Portuguese, the bridge is a historical monument of real significance. As legend has it, its construction used stone, sand and egg yolk as a binding agent.

The thick forest and the wonderful views over the Zega-Wodam and Jama river gorges, where a waterfall beneath the bridge tumbles over deep cliffs, all add to the scenic beauty of the area.

Perched at an elevation of roughly 2,500 meters along the North Shewa escarpment, the stone-arch structure spans a strategic chasm that historically connected highland farming communities across the gorge. While popular folklore attributes the masonry to 16th-century Portuguese soldiers, local historical accounts indicate the bridge was built in the late 19th century under the direction of Ras Darge Sahle Selassie—uncle to Emperor Menelik II—utilizing traditional lime, stone, and regional mortar binding techniques.

Beyond its historical architecture, the cliff-edge meadows surrounding the bridge serve as an essential grazing sanctuary for large habituated troops of endemic Gelada baboons. Visitors along the gorge trail can observe these grass-eating primates foraging closely along the escarpment alongside rare highland raptors—such as the Lammergeier (bearded vulture), Verreaux’s eagle, and Augur buzzard—riding thermal updrafts across the canyon walls.