Silenced authories: The myth of Gustave Eiffel and the iron bridge of Arequipa

The Simón Bolívar viaduct in Arequipa is known as the “Iron Bridge” that has existed for 150 years and suffers the natural wear and tear of time, being associated with a century and a half with the authorship of Gustave Eiffel. The investigation, carried out by comparing the bridges of the time, tries to find the true affiliation, recover that authorship that has been relegated to the forgotten, and value its physical infrastructure with the recognition of its factory. The bridge, which has a structure that is 1600 feet long and is made entirely of iron with an eye and needle system (pin-and-eye bar), applies the Fink structures as a base. This system is associated with most factories of the 19th century, including the Phoenix Iron Company of the USA, whose patent is printed on the famous hollow columns of the bridge.