De Bosset Bridge in Kefalonia, Greece: Europe’s longest stone bridge over the sea

In Kefalonia, Greece, in 1813, Charles de Bosset, a Swiss engineer, recognized the need to connect Argostoli with the rest of the island, as until then, people could only reach the town by small boats or by circumnavigating Lake Koutavos. To solve this crucial problem for the island, he proposed to the municipal council the construction of a wooden bridge. However, the municipal council was opposed to such a proposal, mainly due to its cost.

Despite all the conflicts, De Bosset achieved to build the first prototype of the bridge in only two weeks. Initially, the bridge was made of wood, while later, it was gradually replaced with sandstone blocks by Charles Napier. It should be mentioned that the De Bosset Bridge holds the distinction of being Europe’s longest stone bridge over the sea, spanning 689.9m in length and connecting Argostoli to the opposite shore.

In the past, as locals stated, the bridge was used by both cars and trucks, but due to its narrowness, many accidents occurred. Therefore, the bridge is now exclusively used by pedestrians. Standing in the middle of the bridge, one can see the tall, square stone structure rising from the sea. This obelisk bears an inscription paying tribute to the constructor of the bridge.