Çeşnigir Köprüsü

The Çeşnigir Bridge is a 13th-century stone bridge of the Anatolian Seljuk period across the Kızılırmak; it stands in Kırıkkale between Karakeçili and Köprüköy, and is a day-trip destination reached from Ankara by the road towards Bala. Official sources name both Karakeçili and Keskin as the bridge's district; the address on the Culture Portal points to Karakeçili. The Kırıkkale Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism presents the bridge as the province's foremost Seljuk heritage. History The date of construction is not known for certain. From its architecture and the available sources it is estimated to belong to the 13th century; the Culture Portal lists the structure under the heading of the Seljuk period. It is said that in 1402 Timur's army crossed this bridge on its way to the Battle of Ankara. Read together with the account of the Egyptian campaign, this tradition suggests that for centuries the bridge was one of the main crossings between Ankara and the lands east of the Kızılırmak. According to the sources, during Yavuz Sultan Selim's Egyptian campaign the bridge was repaired and rebuilt by the architect Sinan; this information appears in the texts of the Culture Portal, the Kırıkkale Governorate and Anadolu Agency. The bridge was open to vehicle traffic until 1989. When the Kapulukaya Dam came into operation that year, the water level of the Kızılırmak rose, the piers of the bridge were left standing in the reservoir, and vehicle traffic was moved to a new bridge built beside it. Repaired at various dates in the Republican period, the structure became a registered cultural property in 1980 according to Anadolu Agency; its last restoration was carried out in 2010 by the 4th Regional Directorate of Highways. Today the bridge is closed to vehicles and open only to visitors. Architecture Built of cut stone, the bridge is 110 metres long and 6 metres wide. Its central span is 18.60 metres. To sit firmly on the rocky bed it has a marked slope at the middle; that is, the bridge rises gently from both ends towards the centre. Twelve openings were made to let the water through and to lighten the structure: three above and nine below. The openings have pointed arches; their reflection on still water is the most photographed view of the bridge. The structure is considered important because it offers a close look at Seljuk bridge architecture. Near the bridge stand the remains of a Seljuk-period han, which suggests that caravans crossed the river and rested here. Visiting The bridge can be crossed on foot; the path that descends to the Kızılırmak between the rock masses is the best spot for seeing the bridge from across the water. In the morning hours, when the water is still, the reflection of the arches is clear; in the afternoon the light falls on the south face of the bridge. Take care when climbing down to the rocks beneath the bridge, as the stones can be mossy and slippery. In this stretch, where the Kızılırmak passes between rocky slopes, the surroundings are part of the view. In summer there is little shade; bring a hat and water. Follow the warning signs on the reservoir shore. Seeing the bridge takes about an hour; allow half a day together with the surroundings of the Kapulukaya Dam. Getting there and the surroundings It is reached from Ankara by the road that goes via Bala towards Karakeçili, or via Kırıkkale; a private car is the most practical way. The Culture Portal writes that the bridge can be reached by local transport; check current public transport details with the Karakeçili Municipality. On the same day it can be combined with the Kesikköprü Reservoir in Bala, upstream on the Kızılırmak; the Culture Portal presents that lake as a nature tourism area about 70 kilometres from Ankara with municipal facilities on its shore. The Culture Portal also writes that the lake is about thirty metres deep, that swimming, windsurfing and diving are possible there, and that there are municipal facilities and a kiosk on the shore. The centre of Bala is 70 kilometres from Ankara; the Kesikköprü Dam and its hydroelectric plant lie within that district. The Beynam Forests, 35 kilometres from Bala, are on the same route and are among the important recreation areas of both the district and Ankara. The official texts say nothing about the origin of the word çeşnigir that names the bridge; we make no definite claim about the name's origin.