Akköprü
Encyclopedia
Akköprü is a historical bridge in Yenimahalle district of Ankara
, Turkey
, crosses the Ankara River
in front of Varlık neighbourhood. It is the oldest bridge in Ankara and still in good condition. The neighbourhood around the bridge was also named 'Akköprü'. The area is home to the great Atatürk Cultural Centre and Ankamall shopping centre, the biggest mall in Ankara.
.
stone. The bridge has seven arches, four of them being bigger and the others smaller. The metallic parapets were attached subsequently. There are two inscriptions in the western side of the bridge, one of them being rubbed out.
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, crosses the Ankara River
Ankara River
Ankara River, is a small river that runs through the city of Ankara, Turkey. Because of long time exposure to sewage and industrial pollutants, it is no longer viable as a water source for irrigation even though it is still used for irrigation down stream, and causes cholera and other diseases in...
in front of Varlık neighbourhood. It is the oldest bridge in Ankara and still in good condition. The neighbourhood around the bridge was also named 'Akköprü'. The area is home to the great Atatürk Cultural Centre and Ankamall shopping centre, the biggest mall in Ankara.
History
The bridge was constructed during the reign of the Seljuk sultan Alaaddin Kayqubad I in the early 13th century. It was commissioned by Kızıl Bey, the Seljuk governor of Ankara, in 1222. The bridge was located on the old trade route to BaghdadBaghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
.
Structure
The main construction material used in the construction of the bridge is basaltBasalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
stone. The bridge has seven arches, four of them being bigger and the others smaller. The metallic parapets were attached subsequently. There are two inscriptions in the western side of the bridge, one of them being rubbed out.
External links
- Wowturkey.com - Images of Akköprü bridge