Hamidiye Bridge Explained

Hamidiye Bridge
Native Name:Γέφυρα Χαμιδιέ
Native Name Lang:el
Carries:Non-accessible
Crosses:Kosynthos River
Material:Stone
Width:3m (10feet)
Spans:2
Pierswater:3
Coordinates:41.1653°N 24.8792°W

The Hamidiye Bridge (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Γέφυρα Χαμιδιέ, Turkish: Hamidiye[1]) is a four-arch Ottoman bridge in Western Thrace, Greece, built in the early twentieth century.

Description

It 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

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Historical and Architectural Monuments . 30 June 2014 . ABTTF Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe.
  2. News: Ξανθοπούλου . Μαριάννα . 16 November 2008 . Ένα γεφύρι - «μαρτυριά» στην ιστορία της Ξάνθης . Εμπρός Ξάνθης . 29 June 2014.
  3. Web site: Κόκκας . Νικόλαος . Γέφυρα 4ου χλμ Ξάνθης-Σταυρούπολης . 29 June 2014 . 20 Νοεμβρίου 2006 . Οδηγός Περιφέρειας Ανατολικής Μακεδονίας και Θράκης.
  4. Web site: 2009-07-10 . Mosques in Western Thrace . 30 June 2014 . Western Thrace Minority University Graduates Association . Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe . 10.