Fırtına River bridges
Encyclopedia
The Fırtına River bridges are a group of more than 20 well-preserved Ottoman-era bridges over the Fırtına river and its tributaries near Çamlıhemşin
in Rize Province
at the eastern end of Turkey
's Black Sea
coast.
Because of the steep-sided valleys and frequent floods, the bridges have characteristically high arches.
Many of the bridges date from the 18th and 19th centuries, but some may be older. It is thought they were built by stonemasons from the local community, working under the direction of central Ottoman authorities.
The bridges include:
Several similar bridges in nearby valleys are also notable
Çamlihemsin
Çamlıhemşin is a small town and district of Rize Province in the Black Sea region of Turkey.With its mountains and valleys in all shades of green Çamlıhemşin has a reputation as one of the most attractive parts of the eastern Black Sea region, particularly with the autumn foliage.-Etymology:The...
in Rize Province
Rize Province
Rize Province is a province of north-east Turkey, on the eastern Black Sea coast between Trabzon and Artvin. Its capital is the city of Rize.-Geography:...
at the eastern end of Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
's Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
coast.
Because of the steep-sided valleys and frequent floods, the bridges have characteristically high arches.
Many of the bridges date from the 18th and 19th centuries, but some may be older. It is thought they were built by stonemasons from the local community, working under the direction of central Ottoman authorities.
The bridges include:
- Çamlıhemşin Bridge
- Kaptanpaşa Bridge, not dated, but 18th- or 19th-century in style, near the village of Yeşiltepe
- Buzlupınar Bridge, not dated, but 19th-century in style, in the village of Buzlupınar
- Köprüköy Bridge, date stone unreadable, but 19th-century in style
- Şenyuva (Cin Civa) Bridge, dated 1696 or 1699 by an inscription that was lost during a 1946 flood
- Mikron Bridge
- Ardeşen Bridge, late 19th-century construction of dressed and uncut stone, now in poor condition
Several similar bridges in nearby valleys are also notable
- Çağlayan Bridge (Fındıklı)
- Güneyce Bridge (İkizdere)
- Dörtgözlü Bridge (Pazar)