The Hamidiye Bridge (Greek: Γέφυρα Χαμιδιέ, Turkish: Hamidiye[1]) is a four-arch Ottoman bridge in Western Thrace, Greece, built in the early twentieth century.
Hamidiye Bridge Γέφυρα Χαμιδιέ | |
|---|---|
 The Hamidiye Bridge | |
| Coordinates | 41°9′55″N 24°52′45″E / 41.16528°N 24.87917°E |
| Carries | Non-accessible |
| Crosses | Kosynthos River |
| Locale | Xanthi, Greece |
| Owner | Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports |
| Characteristics | |
| Material | Stone |
| Width | 3 metres (9.8 ft) |
| Height | 63 m (206 ft 8 in) |
| No. of spans | 2 |
| Piers in water | 3 |
| History | |
| Construction end | 1904 |
| Location | |
 | |
Description
editIt was built in 1904, during the reign of Sultan Abdul Hamit II, and is located at the fourth kilometer between Xanthi and Stavroupoli. The bridge is 63 m. long and 3 m. wide and crosses over the river Kosynthos. One end of the bridge is demolished; according to one account, the bridge was blown up in 1941 by the Greek army so that invading German troops could not cross. According to the other, the bridge was blown up in 1944 by the leader of nationalist partisans, Tsaous Anton (Antonis Fosteridis), to prevent the passage of the Bulgarian army. In the western part of the bridge there was an Ottoman inscription which has been vandalized.[2][3][4]
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ "Historical and Architectural Monuments" (PDF). ABTTF Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
- ^ Ξανθοπούλου, Μαριάννα (16 November 2008). "Ένα γεφύρι - «μαρτυριά» στην ιστορία της Ξάνθης". Εμπρός Ξάνθης. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
- ^ Κόκκας, Νικόλαος. "Γέφυρα 4ου χλμ Ξάνθης-Σταυρούπολης". 20 Νοεμβρίου 2006. Οδηγός Περιφέρειας Ανατολικής Μακεδονίας και Θράκης. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
- ^ "Mosques in Western Thrace". Western Thrace Minority University Graduates Association. Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. 2009-07-10. p. 10. Retrieved 30 June 2014.