Suleiman Bridge

The Suleiman Bridge (Croatian: Most Sulejmana I.) was a bridge in Osijek, over the Drava River in Slavonia, eastern Croatia. The bridge had an important role during the Ottoman–Habsburg wars, until it was finally burnt down in 1686.

Suleiman Bridge
A 1674 view of the Suleiman Bridge by Edward Brown
Characteristics
Total length7 kilometres (4.3 mi)
Width6 metres (20 ft)
History
DesignerMimar Sinan

Construction

The traffic and strategic importance of Osijek was sustained during the Ottoman period, but Osijek was then internationally known because of the Suleiman the Magnificent Bridge.[1]

Tvrđa viewed from across the River Drava (possible location of the former Suleiman Bridge).

The construction of the bridge which connected Osijek and Darda, began by Pargalı Ibrahim Pasha on August 16, 1526 following the orders of Suleiman the Magnificent.[2] The bridge was designed by Mimar Sinan, a military engineer who later became the sultan's chief architect.[3] It took the form of a wooden road on piers and was approximately 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) long and 6 metres (20 ft) wide.[1]

Usage
A fanciful view of the bridge from the Hungarian publication Tolna World History

The bridge had an important role during the Ottoman–Habsburg wars. After Suleiman crossed the river Drava at Osijek during his fifth imperial campaign in 1532, instead of taking the usual route for Vienna, he turned westwards into Ferdinand's held Hungarian territory.[4]

The bridge was rebuilt during the rule of Suleiman II.[1][5]

Destruction

Seen as a great threat to Christian Europe, the bridge was attacked several times, being destroyed in 1664, when it was set on fire on the orders of the Croatian feudal lord Nicholas VII of Zrin (Croatian: Nikola VII. Zrinski, Hungarian: VII. Zrínyi Miklós).[6] After being rebuilt, the bridge was finally burnt down by the Austrian army in 1686.[1]

See also

References
  1. Croatian Ministry of Culture Directorate for the Protection of Cultural Heritage (1 February 2005). "Historical-Town Planning Ensemble Tvrda (Fort) in Osijek". UNESCO. Retrieved 11 May 2010.
  2. Çiçek, Kemal (2000). Great Ottoman Turkish civilization. Yeni Türkiye. ISBN 9789756782217.
  3. Wiebenson, Dora (1998). The architecture of historic Hungary. MIT Press. p. 68. ISBN 9780262231923.
  4. Turnbull, Stephen R (2003). The Ottoman Empire, 1326-1699. Osprey Publishing Ltd. p. 51. ISBN 0-415-96913-1.
  5. Wheatcroft, Andrew (2009). The Enemy at the Gate. Basic Books. p. 99.
  6. Yugoslav review (9th ed.). Jugoslovenska Revija. 1979. p. 41.

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