Justinian Bridge

The Justinian Bridge spans north-western Anatolia near Adapazarı, a late Roman monument 429 metres long and almost 10 metres wide. Built from limestone in the sixth century to connect Constantinople with the eastern provinces, it rests on seven large arches and several smaller ones, while its massive piers served as cutwaters during floods. A triumphal arch once stood at the western entrance, and remains of an apse survive on the eastern side. The bridge has endured centuries and modern alterations and was added to Turkey’s tentative UNESCO World Heritage list in 2020.

According to legend, Justinian ordered the River Cydnus diverted and a bridge built over the new channel to avoid the dangers of an old wooden pontoon bridge, which Procopius described as frequently swept away by torrents that claimed human lives.