In Colombia, bricklaying is constituted as a very significant construction technique present in historical buildings. However, with changes in their use, which generally implied increased dynamic loads, strong environmental variations, increased pollution, and the presence of different living organisms – among other factors – in recent years have apparently accelerated the deterioration of the materials conforming them (brick and lime mortar), in many occasions making it necessary to determine their physical and mechanical properties along with their chemical and mineralogical composition to diagnose the real state of the structure. This article explores the appropriate routines for such characterization to permit their future application in restoration processes of historical buildings. From the case study involving the masonry brick arch bridge constructed in the city of Buga (Valle del Cauca) during the second half of the 19th century, we will establish how mechanical analysis of the bricks allows having reference patterns of its resistance behavior; simultaneously, mineralogical characterization permits identifying the composition and firing temperature of the bricks originally used in the construction.