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White Bridge (Mysia)
Encyclopedia
The White Bridge was a Roman bridge
across the river Granicus
in Mysia
in the north west of modern-day Turkey
. Presumably constructed in the 4th century AD, it belonged in Ottoman times
to the important road to Gallipoli
on the Dardanelles
. The structure was praised by early European travellers
for its fine construction and marble
facing, but was plundered for building material during the 19th century.
in 1699, who found it still intact. Later visitors included William Turner
in 1815, Pyotr Chikhachyov in 1847 and Arthur W. Janke in the 1890s, who all judged the structure to be of ancient origin.
Turner described a very magnificent Roman bridge of brick
and small stones with retaining walls of fine marble. It consisted of eight arch
es, the largest four spanning the river, flanked by two smaller openings at each bank. The span of the largest vault was eighteen pace
s, its width eight. Small arched chambers immediately under the pavement reduced the load of the bridge; similar relieving chambers also appear in neighbouring ancient bridges such as the Makestos Bridge
and the Aesepus Bridge
, leading Frederick William Hasluck
to postulate a common origin under the reign of emperor
Constantine
(† 337 AD).
Eighty years later, Janke could still identify several semi-circular arches at the left bank, along with piers featuring polished ashlar of 100 × 50 cm, as characteristically for Roman bridge building. Hardly a decade later, however, Hasluck essentially only found a tile-vaulted arch of the western abutment and an adjoining pier, the bridge having been plundered in the meantime for building material for the Karabogha–Boghashehr road. The span could still be established as 2.7 m (8.9 ft), the width of the roadway as 7.4 m (24.3 ft). The remaining upper parts showed carelessly executed Turkish repairs with rough rubble and tiles.
The current state of the remains of the White Bridge is unknown; it is not listed in O’Connor's compilation of Roman bridges.
Roman bridge
Roman bridges, built by ancient Romans, were the first large and lasting bridges built. Roman bridges were built with stone and had the arch as its basic structure....
across the river Granicus
Granicus
The Biga River is a small river or large creek in Çanakkale Province in northwestern Turkey. The river begins at the base of Mount Ida and trends generally northeasterly to the Sea of Marmara. It is located approximately 50 km to the east of the Dardanelles. It flows past the towns of Çan...
in Mysia
Mysia
Mysia was a region in the northwest of ancient Asia Minor or Anatolia . It was located on the south coast of the Sea of Marmara. It was bounded by Bithynia on the east, Phrygia on the southeast, Lydia on the south, Aeolis on the southwest, Troad on the west and by the Propontis on the north...
in the north west of modern-day 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...
. Presumably constructed in the 4th century AD, it belonged in Ottoman times
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
to the important road to Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
on the Dardanelles
Dardanelles
The Dardanelles , formerly known as the Hellespont, is a narrow strait in northwestern Turkey connecting the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara. It is one of the Turkish Straits, along with its counterpart the Bosphorus. It is located at approximately...
. The structure was praised by early European travellers
Exploration
Exploration is the act of searching or traveling around a terrain for the purpose of discovery of resources or information. Exploration occurs in all non-sessile animal species, including humans...
for its fine construction and marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
facing, but was plundered for building material during the 19th century.
Exploration
The White Bridge was first mentioned by Edmund ChishullEdmund Chishull
-Life:He was a scholar of Corpus Christi College, Oxford in 1687, where he graduated B.A. in 1690, M.A.in 1693, and became a Fellow in 1696. He served as chaplain at Smyrna, for the Levant Company, from 1698 to 1702. He there kept a journal, eventually published with help from Richard Mead...
in 1699, who found it still intact. Later visitors included William Turner
J. M. W. Turner
Joseph Mallord William Turner RA was an English Romantic landscape painter, watercolourist and printmaker. Turner was considered a controversial figure in his day, but is now regarded as the artist who elevated landscape painting to an eminence rivalling history painting...
in 1815, Pyotr Chikhachyov in 1847 and Arthur W. Janke in the 1890s, who all judged the structure to be of ancient origin.
Turner described a very magnificent Roman bridge of brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
and small stones with retaining walls of fine marble. It consisted of eight arch
Arch
An arch is a structure that spans a space and supports a load. Arches appeared as early as the 2nd millennium BC in Mesopotamian brick architecture and their systematic use started with the Ancient Romans who were the first to apply the technique to a wide range of structures.-Technical aspects:The...
es, the largest four spanning the river, flanked by two smaller openings at each bank. The span of the largest vault was eighteen pace
Pace
Pace may refer to:*Pace , the speed at which movement occurs*Pace , a unit of length*"Peace" in Italian, sometimes written on a rainbow flag...
s, its width eight. Small arched chambers immediately under the pavement reduced the load of the bridge; similar relieving chambers also appear in neighbouring ancient bridges such as the Makestos Bridge
Makestos Bridge
The Macestos Bridge or Bridge of Sultançayır was a Roman segmental arched bridge across the Macestos River at Balıkesir, in the northwestern part of modern-day Turkey. Its flattened arches, slender piers and the hollow chamber system documented the progress made in late antique bridge building...
and the Aesepus Bridge
Aesepus Bridge
The Aesepus Bridge was a late antique Roman bridge over the Aesepus river in the ancient region of Mysia in modern-day Turkey. It is notable for its advanced hollow chamber system which has also been employed in other Roman bridges in the region, such as the Makestos Bridge...
, leading Frederick William Hasluck
Frederick William Hasluck
Frederick William Hasluck was an English antiquarian, historian, and archaeologist.Hasluck was educated at The Leys School and King's College, Cambridge. Graduating in 1904 , he went to the British School at Athens. There he helped on excavations in Laconi, Geraki, Angelona, Cyzicus and Bithynia,...
to postulate a common origin under the reign of emperor
Emperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...
Constantine
Constantine I
Constantine the Great , also known as Constantine I or Saint Constantine, was Roman Emperor from 306 to 337. Well known for being the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity, Constantine and co-Emperor Licinius issued the Edict of Milan in 313, which proclaimed religious tolerance of all...
(† 337 AD).
Eighty years later, Janke could still identify several semi-circular arches at the left bank, along with piers featuring polished ashlar of 100 × 50 cm, as characteristically for Roman bridge building. Hardly a decade later, however, Hasluck essentially only found a tile-vaulted arch of the western abutment and an adjoining pier, the bridge having been plundered in the meantime for building material for the Karabogha–Boghashehr road. The span could still be established as 2.7 m (8.9 ft), the width of the roadway as 7.4 m (24.3 ft). The remaining upper parts showed carelessly executed Turkish repairs with rough rubble and tiles.
The current state of the remains of the White Bridge is unknown; it is not listed in O’Connor's compilation of Roman bridges.
See also
- List of Roman bridges
- Roman architectureRoman architectureAncient Roman architecture adopted certain aspects of Ancient Greek architecture, creating a new architectural style. The Romans were indebted to their Etruscan neighbors and forefathers who supplied them with a wealth of knowledge essential for future architectural solutions, such as hydraulics...
- Roman engineeringRoman engineeringRomans are famous for their advanced engineering accomplishments, although some of their own inventions were improvements on older ideas, concepts and inventions. Technology for bringing running water into cities was developed in the east, but transformed by the Romans into a technology...