Irgandı Bridge

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Irgandı Bridge

Irgandı Köprüsü
Irgandı bridge in Bursa, Turkey
Coordinates40°10′54″N 29°04′16″E / 40.1818°N 29.0710°E / 40.1818; 29.0710
CrossesGökdere
LocaleBursa, Turkey
Characteristics
DesignArch bridge
MaterialStone
Width11 m (36 ft)
History
ArchitectTimurtaş
Construction end1442
Location
Map

Irgandı Bridge (Turkish: Irgandı Köprüsü) is an historical bridge in Bursa, Turkey. The bridge is over Gökdere, a tributary of Nilüfer River at 40°10′56″N 29°04′19″E / 40.18222°N 29.07194°E / 40.18222; 29.07194.[1] It is between Osmangazi (northwest) and Yıldırım (southeast), two second level municipalities of Greater Bursa [2]

History

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The bridge was commissioned by Müslihiddin, a merchant, in 1442, and it was likely designed by Timurtaş.[2] It was damaged in the 1855 Bursa earthquake. In 1922, during the Turkish War of Independence, it was bombed by the Hellenic Army, retreating from its occupation of Bursa. It remained closed to traffic until it was reconstructed, with minor modifications, in 1949. Another restoration took place in 2004.

Details

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The bridge is a single arc bridge. Arch span is 16 metres (52 ft) and the width is 11 metres (36 ft).[3] It is an example of a rare type of covered bridge which houses a bazaar. It has been claimed (incorrectly) locally that it is one of only four bridges in the world having shops.[4] Other bridges with shops on them are Ponte Vecchio and Ponte Rialto in Italy; Osam Bridge in Bulgaria; Pulteney Bridge in Avon, High Bridge in Lincoln, and "Frome Bridge" in Frome in the United Kingdom; and Krämerbrücke in Erfurt, Germany. In the original design there were thirty shops on the bridge.[5] According to Ass. Prof Önge during the Ottoman times, the bridge was also used to check traffic between two neighborhoods of Bursa by closing during the nights.[3]

References

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  1. ^ Map page
  2. ^ a b "Bursa Chamber of journalists page" (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 2019-07-08. Retrieved 2017-03-24.
  3. ^ a b Asso. Prof. Yılmaz Önge's essay (in Turkish)
  4. ^ The claim is in the Turkish language webpage of bursa.com.tr (the tr extension indicates Turkey), at http://www.bursa.com.tr/carsili-kopru-irgandi-969.html Archived 2018-11-11 at the Wayback Machine, accessed November 24, 2020.
  5. ^ "Irgandi page" (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 2018-11-11. Retrieved 2017-03-24.
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Media related to Irgandı Bridge at Wikimedia Commons