Uzunköprü Bridge
Description
Uzunköprü (lit. Long Bridge), is a 15th-century Ottoman stone bridge over the River Ergene in Edirne Province, northwestern Turkey. The bridge gave its name to the nearby town of Uzunköprü. It is claimed to be the world's longest stone bridge. It was built to facilitate crossing the Ergene for troops during river floods, and to replace a wooden bridge; previous structures had rapidly deteriorated or had been destroyed.
Construction of the bridge was started in 1426 or 1427, and ended in 1443 or 1444. The newly-completed bridge had a length of 1,392 metres, spanning 174 arches. The stones include several figures and motifs, which were replaced over time.