Kırkgöz Köprüsü (Bolvadin)

Kırkgöz Bridge is a historic multi-arched bridge stretching across the Akarçay, the river that flows into Lake Eber, about 7 kilometres outside the centre of Bolvadin. Sources write that the first part of the bridge was built in 1150 by the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos. According to the Anadolu Agency, the bridge had forty arches when it was first built, and it takes its name from that number. It was built of marble, andesite and basalt. Because it carries traces of the Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman periods in a single structure, it is one of the most layered monuments of the Akarçay basin. The bridge was one of the key crossings on the north to south caravan road, in use since Roman times, that ran south from Istanbul. Historians from Afyon Kocatepe University note that it served as a main route in the Seljuk period and remained a busy stop for pilgrimage and trade caravans in the Ottoman period. It was repaired in both the Seljuk and Ottoman periods. In the 16th century, during the Baghdad and Iran campaigns of Suleiman the Magnificent, the bridge was repaired and extended northwards by Mimar Sinan. The provincial directorate of culture and tourism states that Sinan extended the bridge to as many as 64 arches and added an inscription. The number of arches differs between sources, because arches have been lost over time. According to Wikipedia, eight arches were demolished during works to change the course of the Akarçay, and some others lie buried in the ground. Today most sources give the number of surviving arches as 57. Different figures also circulate for its length; CNN Türk mentions 200 metres while Wikipedia gives a value such as 400 metres, so the surest way is to measure it with your own steps. It is said that the inscription from Sinan's time fell into the river when the bridge was damaged during the War of Independence, and was later found and taken to the museum. What makes the structure fascinating is that you can see the stonework of three different periods side by side. The southern section belongs to the Byzantine period; the northern section is an Ottoman addition with more regular masonry. The arches are wider and pointed in the middle and become smaller and flatter towards the ends. The core of the structure is rubble fill set in lime mortar and the outer faces are of cut stone, with a single row of parapet stones on top. Reused architectural pieces from the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods can be seen in the piers. Wear-resistant basalt and marble were used near the water, with porous tuff in the upper parts. As you explore, start at one end of the bridge and walk along the parapet to the other, noticing how the height of the arches changes. Then step down and look at the structure side-on from the neighbouring fields; the repaired sections, distinguished by their colour, and the reused stones are easier to pick out from this angle. When you look closely at the old building pieces in the piers, do not stand on the stones and do not move any piece from its place. Wikipedia notes that illegal treasure digging and the removal of building stones have damaged the structure in places, so treating it with care is every visitor's responsibility. As the bridge now lies off the main road its surroundings are quiet, and from time to time you may meet shepherds crossing it with their flocks. The best time for photographs is morning or evening, when the sun is low; side light brings out the rhythm of the arches and the texture of the stone. The bridge is in the open air and has no separate entrance arrangement. It is surrounded by fields and meadows, and since the tracks can be muddy after rain, wear suitable shoes. There is no shade, so take water and a hat in summer. You will need your own vehicle to reach Kırkgöz Bridge from Bolvadin; Bolvadin itself is reached from Afyonkarahisar by road and by intercity bus. The Akarçay, which the bridge spans, reaches Lake Eber a few kilometres further on. That is why combining a visit to the bridge with a drive to the villages on the lake shore makes a natural route. The same river's historic crossing in the centre of Afyonkarahisar, according to the Anadolu Agency, is the Altıgöz Bridge, built in 1209 and named after its six arches.