Puente del Inca

This article is about the natural bridge in Argentina. For the bridge in Peru, see Inca Bridge.
Puente del Inca arch and abandoned spa hotel
Puente del Inca in July

Puente del Inca (English "Bridge of the Inca") is a natural arch that forms a bridge over the Las Cuevas River, a tributary of the Mendoza River. It is located near the small village of Puente del Inca [es], in Las Heras Department, Mendoza Province, Argentina. The nearby hot springs are also named Puente del Inca.[1]

While Puente del Inca has shown signs of deterioration, it remains stable under its weight under present conditions.[2] Factors of safety ranging from 1.5 to 3.0 have been estimated for the arch.[2]

  1. ^ Scheffel, Richard L.; Wernet, Susan J., eds. (1980). Natural Wonders of the World. United States of America: Reader's Digest Association, Inc. p. 306. ISBN 0-89577-087-3.
  2. ^ a b Lannutti, Esteban; Lenzano, María Gabriela; Barón, Jorge Barón; Durand, Marcelo; Lenzano, Luis (2020). "Analysis of the deterioration and restoration processes in the natural monument Puente del Inca, Central Andes, province of Mendoza, Argentina". Andean Geology. 47 (2). National Geology and Mining Service. doi:10.5027/andgeoV47n2-3131.