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From Uzunköprü to the Shores of Saros
Cultural

From Uzunköprü to the Shores of Saros

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The road heading south from Edirne cuts right through the middle of Thrace: first the flat and fertile plain of the Ergene, then the hills of Keşan, and finally the blue of the Gulf of Saros. This trip covers that road in a single day with three stops.

Keşan, Edirne
Cultural
Radar Editör
October 19, 2026

About Trip

The road heading south from Edirne cuts right through the middle of Thrace: first the flat and fertile plain of the Ergene, then the hills of Keşan, and finally the blue of the Gulf of Saros. This trip covers that road in a single day with three stops. In the morning, beneath the arches of the structure regarded as the world's longest stone bridge in Uzunköprü; at noon, in Keşan, one of the liveliest market towns in Thrace; and in the afternoon on the shore at Erikli, between golden sand and a salt lake. The bridge at Uzunköprü itself is described in detail on its own Keşfet page; here we treat the bridge as the starting point of the journey, together with the town it gave birth to and the road that continues beyond it.

A town founded by a bridge

Turkish Wikipedia writes that Uzunköprü was the first Turkish city the Ottomans founded in Rumelia, established by Sultan Murad II in 1427 under the name Ergene City. According to the source, no city could be built on the site of today's town before the Ottomans, because the area was covered with vast marshes and dense forests. Two needs came together in the founding of the town: a staging post on the road leading from the capital of the time, Edirne, to Gallipoli and the Balkans, and the long construction work on the great bridge over the Ergene.

The story begins with a flood. Turkish Wikipedia relates that the army of Murad II, setting out on a campaign towards Gallipoli, could not cross the Ergene because of flooding caused by heavy rain, that the temporary wooden bridges could not withstand the floods, and that it was therefore decided to build a stone bridge over the river. The same source reports that the first bridge, with 360 openings, begun in 1424 and finished in three years, was not considered adequate, that it was demolished and rebuilt, and that the bridge standing today is this second one.

As construction dragged on, a mosque, a public kitchen, a caravanserai, a madrasa, a bathhouse and two mills were built to meet the needs of the workers and of the soldiers guarding the area; to keep these buildings going, families were settled here first from the villages of Edirne and later from Turkmen tribes crossing into Rumelia. The settlement, named Cisr-i Ergene, meaning Ergene Bridge, grew quickly as the route for merchants' goods sent from Edirne to Gallipoli and from there by ship to distant ports. In time the town's name came from the popular name of the bridge.

Morning in Uzunköprü

The Culture Portal writes that the bridge was built by the architect Muslihiddin between 1427 and 1443 and that, with a length of 1,270.41 metres and 174 arches, it holds the distinction of being the longest surviving stone bridge in the world. The length varies from source to source; English Wikipedia reports that the bridge was 1,392 metres long when first built, that it was measured at 1,266 metres in 1978 and 1,254 metres in 1989, and that in 2018 a measurement made for Guinness World Records found it to be 1,306.2 metres. Repairs and the growth of the town have changed the length of the bridge over the centuries.

In the morning it is a good idea to approach the bridge from its northern side; the cover photograph of this trip was also taken from there, from the angle where the row of arches stretches towards the river and the town. Not all the arches are the same. The Culture Portal notes that the arches are mostly two-centred pointed arches, but that circular and flattened circular arches also exist. Look at the geometric motifs, plant and animal figures and Rumi palmettes on the keystones. Turkish Wikipedia writes that elephant, lion and bird figures stand out between the stone piers; English Wikipedia adds that some of these figures are no longer visible and that some are thought to have been altered during earlier repairs.

The engineering of the bridge is at least as interesting as its decoration. According to the Culture Portal, the bridge was built of cut limestone and travertine blocks, and its foundations, resting on alluvial ground, were laid on an energy-absorbing timber grid system. English Wikipedia reports that the stones were brought from quarries in the nearby villages of Yağmurca, Eskiköy and Hasırcıarnavutköy, and that the blocks were bound together with Khorasan mortar, which hardens as it comes into contact with the air.

The last half century of the bridge is a story of conservation. English Wikipedia writes that during the repairs between 1964 and 1971 the bridge was widened and its top covered with steel and concrete, that two-way traffic caused heavy damage to the structure, and that when a new concrete bridge opened nearby in 2013, heavy vehicles were banned from crossing the historic bridge. The Culture Portal notes that the bridge was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List in 2015. The same Wikipedia article reports that the bridge was closed to traffic in September 2021 for a comprehensive restoration covering the repair of the arches and the re-paving of the road surface with stone, and that the work has taken longer than planned. Before you go, check with local sources whether you can walk on the bridge; even while the work continues, the real beauty of the bridge can be seen from its side and from beneath it anyway.

From the Ergene to Keşan

As you continue south from Uzunköprü, the flatness of the Ergene plain gradually gives way to hills. Turkish Wikipedia writes that 75 percent of Uzunköprü's land is flat and that the district borders the districts of İpsala and Keşan to the south. Keşan, according to Turkish Wikipedia, is a town at an average elevation of 110 metres, and the highest point of the district is Hızırilyas hill at 371 metres.

Keşan is the crossroads of Thrace. English Wikipedia writes that the town lies where the Edirne-Gallipoli and İpsala-Istanbul state roads intersect, and that in antiquity it stood on Rome's famous Via Egnatia. The same source reports that the town has been known through history by names such as Zorlanis, Topiris, Kission and Rusion, that the medieval fortress of Rusion stood on Kaletepe about 4 kilometres southwest of the town centre, and that remains can still be seen around it. Turkish Wikipedia gives several legends together about the origin of the name; one of them refers to the name of the Topkeşan Yörüks who settled in the area, another to the name of the place where caravans rested their horses. Which one is true is unknown, but all of them recall that the town was a place on the road and a staging post.

Noon in Keşan

Keşan is a market town. Turkish Wikipedia writes that a very lively daily life can be seen in the town every day, and especially on Saturday, when the weekly market is held. If you can time your trip for a Saturday, walking round the market is the easiest way to get to know the produce of the Thracian plain. Turkish Wikipedia notes that wheat, sunflowers, barley, maize, sugar beet, rice and vegetables are grown in the district, and that in recent years viticulture and fruit growing have also come forward as new crops.

The Edirne brochure of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism mentions Keşan for its products with geographical indication: Keşan Satır Meat, Keşan Siğilli Okra and Keşan Mahmutköy Dried Beans are on this list. The brochure's two-day Edirne itinerary also suggests that travellers heading to the coast stop in the town centre of Keşan or Enez for lunch. It makes sense to take your lunch break here to taste the local dishes.

Down to Saros

As you continue southwest from Keşan, the sea comes into view. Turkish Wikipedia describes the Gulf of Saros, known in antiquity as Melas Kolpos, as a triangular inlet reaching about 60 kilometres inland between the Gallipoli Peninsula to the south and the coast of Thrace to the north. The depth of the gulf is very different on its two sides: along the Thracian coast there is a shelf whose depth does not exceed 90 metres, while off the Gallipoli coast there is no shelf and the water suddenly drops to depths of more than 500 metres. The few small islands off the Thracian coast, the Eşek islands, are uninhabited.

The gulf's fame comes from the cleanliness of its water. Turkish Wikipedia writes that currents forming complex eddies are seen in Saros, which is why the gulf is regarded as one that cleans itself; the high oxygen content of the water and the nutrient salts carried by the streams flowing into the gulf make it a fishing area rich in species. The Keşan article reports that there are 144 kinds of fish and 170 kinds of underwater creatures in the gulf, and that Saros was discovered by divers many years ago and became famous for its dusky grouper.

Afternoon in Erikli

Turkish Wikipedia writes that the village of Erikli lies 140 kilometres from the provincial centre of Edirne and 30 kilometres from the town centre of Keşan, southwest of Keşan, on the shore of Saros and on the Mecidiye-Erikli beach road. The Culture Portal presents Erikli Beach, 2.5 kilometres from the village, as a Blue Flag beach on the Gulf of Saros. The ministry's brochure also states that Erikli Beach on Saros is famous for its golden sands and spotless water.

Behind the beach lies perhaps the least known corner of the trip. The brochure writes that Erikli Salt Lake lies behind Erikli Beach and dazzles with its natural beauty and the migratory birds it frequently hosts. Before swimming, or as the sun sinks lower, take a quiet walk along the shore of the salt lake; if you have binoculars, look at the birds feeding in the shallow water and keep a distance that will not disturb them.

Options along the coast

Erikli is not the only choice. The ministry's brochure writes that Mecidiye-Uzunkum Beach in the village of Mecidiye, part of Keşan, offers a secluded sea because there is no settlement around it, that it is freshened by the maquis surrounding the beach, and that it suits line fishing and diving. The same brochure notes that Mecidiye-İbrice Harbour, with its shallow, warm and calm water, is attractive to both beginner and experienced divers, that the 1,319-hectare Danişment Nature Park stands out with its beach and its camping and day-use areas, and that Gökçetepe Nature Park, with beaches set among forest, is known as a hidden paradise. According to the brochure, Koru Dağı, rising behind the coast, also draws attention with its forests of Turkish red pine, black pine and oak and its lively wildlife.

Season and time

This trip has two faces. The bridge and Keşan can be visited in all four seasons; spring is when the Ergene plain is at its greenest. For the sea, summer and early autumn are suitable. Turkish Wikipedia writes that Keşan's population grows greatly in the summer months with people coming to the coast; if you want a quiet shore, choose a weekday or the beginning and end of the season. For the migratory birds at the salt lake, spring and autumn are more rewarding. In Uzunköprü the first light of morning paints the stone of the arches a warm colour; start the day early to see the bridge at this hour.

Transport and practical notes

  • The Culture Portal notes that Uzunköprü is 65 kilometres from Edirne by car. English Wikipedia also writes that the town has a railway station; check current train and bus services with official sources.
  • A private car is the easiest way to visit the three stops on the same day; for public transport between Keşan and the coastal villages, consult local companies before travelling.
  • Because of the restoration in Uzunköprü, the possibility of walking on the bridge may change; you can see the arches comfortably from the lawn beside it and from its northern side.
  • Seawater quality and beach services at Erikli can change from year to year; check the Blue Flag status in current lists.
  • Do not approach the birds on the shore of the salt lake, and take water and a hat with you for the walk.

Sources

Location - From Uzunköprü to the Shores of Saros

Trip Info
CityKeşan, Edirne
TypeCultural
DateOctober 19, 2026
SourceRadar Editör
Radar TürkiyeAuthorRadar TürkiyeVisit SourceGet Directions