Tiber River drought exposes ancient Nero’s Bridge ruins in Rome

Extreme heat and prolonged drought in Rome have caused the Tiber River's water levels to drop significantly, revealing the submerged stone remains of a nearly 2,000-year-old structure known as Nero’s Bridge.

Rome’s civil protection coordinator, Giovanni Giganti, reported that the river's flow has fallen below 80 cubic meters per second, which is approximately half the seasonal average. The ruins, also referred to as Pons Neronianus, are believed to have been constructed around 39 AD during the reign of Caligula and later associated with Emperor Nero. The remains are visible near Castel Sant’Angelo.

In addition to the ancient bridge, the receding waters have also exposed various modern objects upstream, including bicycles, scooters, refrigerators, and a car. This phenomenon was last observed during a similar drought in 2022.