The smallest international bridge in the world is located in Arronches, a village in the Portalegre district. It is called Marco International Bridge and is just 6 metres long and 1.45 meters wide.

This bridge has a very rustic visual appearance, suggesting that it is older than it actually is, but it is, in fact, an ecological structure, with wooden floors and side railings made from tree trunks.

According to NiT, which cites information from the Arronches City Council website, in the past, the Marco International Bridge was just an “improvised pier” that allowed trade between smugglers from the two countries on the Iberian Peninsula of products such as tobacco, coffee, cork and olives.

This improvised pier ended up being washed away by the waters of the Abrilongo River whenever it rained and it was the inhabitants of the two localities who had to replace the wooden planks to be able to pass between one country and the other.

But it was in 1996, with the Schengen agreement, that these illegal commercial exchanges ended. And in 2008, with the support of community funds, the bridge was rebuilt, giving it the visual appearance you can see today

Despite the obvious improvements to its structure, the Marco International Bridge only allows the passage of pedestrians and two-wheeled vehicles, given its small dimensions.