Tekgöz Bridge

Tekgöz Bridge is a historical bridge in Turkey. It is over Kızılırmak (Hallys of the antiquity) and situated in Kayseri Province about 30 kilometres (19 mi) north west of Kayseri city, at 38°50′10″N 35°10′44″E Its elevation with respect to sea level is 980 metres (3,220 ft).

According to the inscription of the bridge it was commissioned by a certain Hacı Alişir from Kayseri in behalf of Süleyman II (1196-1204), the sultan of Seljuks of Anatolia in 1203.

It is a single arch bridge and in fact the name of the bridge tekgöz means "single arch". However it also has an auxiliary arch used only in overflow seasons. The total length of the stone bridge is 120 metres (390 ft). The opening of the main arch is 27 metres (89 ft) and its height is 18 metres (59 ft).The opening of the auxiliary arch is 11.26 metres (36.9 ft) and its height is 7.5 metres (25 ft).[1]

A misconception

Evliya Çelebi, the famous Turkish traveller of the 17th century, tried to read the inscription plate and reading the name Süleyman he thought that the name refers to Süleyman the Magnificent of the Ottoman Empire.

References
  1. Fügen İlter: Osmanlılara kadar Anadolu Türk Köprüleri, Karayolları Yayınları, pp.101-102
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