Uzunköprü Bridge
| Uzunköprü Bridge | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 41°16′28″N 26°40′42″E / 41.2745°N 26.6784°ECoordinates: 41°16′28″N 26°40′42″E / 41.2745°N 26.6784°E |
| Carries |
  |
| Crosses | Ergene River |
| Locale | Uzunköprü, Edirne, Turkey |
| Characteristics | |
| Total length | 1,392 m (4,567 ft) |
| Width | 6.80 m (22.3 ft) |
| Number of spans | 174 |
| History | |
| Construction begin | 1426 |
| Construction end | 1443 |
The Uzunköprü Bridge or Long Bridge meaning (Turkish: Uzun köprü) is a 15th-century Ottoman bridge, which gave its name to the town of Uzunköprü.[1]
The bridge was built between 1426 and 1443 by head architect Muslihiddin on the orders of Ottoman Sultan Murad II. The ancient stone-built bridge with 174 arches, is 1,392 m (4,567 ft) long and up to 6.80 m (22.3 ft) wide. Some of the arches are pointed and some are round. Uzunköprü is the longest stone bridge in Turkey.[2]
The bridge was made to cross the Ergene River, which was a natural barrier for advances into the Balkans for the Ottoman Empire; its old name was Ergene Bridge (Ottoman Turkish: Cisr-i Ergene). It is so long in order to cross a low-lying marshy area. The bridge was restored in 1963.[2]
The Edirne–Izmir state road still passes over the Uzunköprü Bridge.[2]
References
- ↑ Ottoman Architecture, John Freely, page 91, 2011
- 1 2 3 "Uzunköprü, UNESCO'nun en uzun taş köprüsü olacak". Zaman (in Turkish). 2014-10-11. Retrieved 2015-02-22.
