Meriç Köprüsü

The Meriç Bridge, also known as the Mecidiye Bridge or the New Bridge, is a historic stone bridge that crosses the Meriç River on the road between Edirne and Karaağaç. According to the Kültür Portalı, construction began in 1842 under Sultan Abdülmecid and the bridge was finished in 1847. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism brochure gives the same years. English Wikipedia, however, writes that construction began under Mahmud II and was completed in 1843; the sources disagree on this point. The name Mecidiye comes from the name of Abdülmecid. The bridge is 263 metres long and 7 metres wide. It consists of 12 pointed arches rising on 13 piers and slopes gently from the middle towards both ends. Relief openings have been made between the piers to let flood waters through. In the middle of the bridge stands a marble kiosk bearing an inscription. According to Turkish Wikipedia, the dome of this kiosk once carried an iron lightning rod shaped like a sun motif. The same source notes that the inside of the kiosk dome has wall paintings showing views of Edirne. On both banks of the bridge, quays of cut stone were built so that ships, boats and rowing boats could moor. Wikipedia explains this by the trade carried on along the river towards the interior of the Balkans before the stone bridge was built. For many years the bridge carried the main road to the Pazarkule border gate through Karaağaç. According to English Wikipedia, the bridge was formerly part of the D.100 state road. Today a newer bridge carries most of this traffic, so the historic structure has become a quieter crossing. According to the Kültür Portalı, the Meriç rises in Bulgaria, enters Turkey at Edirne and forms part of the border with Greece. The ministry brochure describes how the Meriç, Arda and Tunca, coming down from the Balkan mountains, meet at Edirne and, after taking in the waters of the Ergene further south, flow into the Aegean Sea. This is why Edirne is also called the city of waters. The Kültür Portalı notes that there are picnic grounds and resting places around the two rivers. The picnic grounds in Karaağaç, reached by crossing the bridge, lie right along the river and are among the city's best loved green spaces. The ministry brochure lists the historic Karaağaç quarter, the Karaağaç railway station and the Lausanne Monument among the places in Edirne not to be missed; the bridge is the gateway to this route. The bridge is one of the most popular places in Edirne to watch the sunset. The ministry brochure also recommends watching the evening sun go down on the banks of the Meriç. As the sun sinks, the wide riverbed facing west and the reflection of the arches in the water create a striking view. The brochure also mentions river trips on the Meriç in the historic Kancabaş boats painted in Edirne red. Check the current schedule and conditions of these trips with local sources. You can reach the bridge on foot from the city centre in the direction of Karaağaç; the road is flat and also crosses the Tunca. As you walk across the bridge, do not miss stopping at the kiosk in the middle to see the marble inscription up close. For photographs, a spot on the bank looking at the bridge from the side fits the whole row of arches into the frame. The bridge and the banks can get crowded in the evening, so it is a good idea to arrive a little before sunset. After the bridge the road continues to Karaağaç, the historic station building and the Lausanne Monument. As it is an open-air structure it can be visited in every season, but be careful on the riverbank on rainy days.