The historical Ani Bridge between Turkey and Armenia will be rebuilt.
Modern.az reports with reference to "TRT Haber" that this was stated by Turkey's Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu. He informed that the tender process for the reconstruction of the bridge has been completed.
According to Uraloğlu, the bridge is located in Ani, one of the important trade centers of the Middle Ages. The historical structure, built on the Silk Road in the 10th century and of which only the supports remain today, will be restored.
Built as a customs checkpoint on the Silk Road, the bridge has been one of the important crossing points for trade between East and West for centuries. The minister emphasized that the structure is of great importance in terms of historical and cultural heritage.
Uraloğlu stated that the bridge was 80 meters long and 8 meters wide. The structure is located at the point where the Arpaçay riverbed narrows to 36 meters. The circular arch of the bridge with a span of 31 meters collapsed on October 16, 1807.
The Ani archaeological site, where the Ani Bridge is also located, was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2016 along with 21 cultural heritage samples. According to Uraloğlu, the main goal is to preserve the historical structure and pass it on to future generations.
Uraloğlu stated that within the framework of the protocol signed between Turkey and Armenia, the restoration work will be carried out under the coordination of a joint commission.
The protocol defining the scope and methods of work related to the reconstruction of the bridge was signed in Yerevan on May 4.
