Dicle Bridge


The Dicle Bridge is a historic bridge in Diyarbakır over the river Tigris in southeastern Turkey. Completed in 1065, it numbers ten arches with a total length of. Hence, it is locally called also "On Gözlü Köprü" / "Pira Dehderî". Its another name is the Silvan Bridge due to its position being on the road to Silvan.
The bridge was commissioned by Nizam al-Din and Muyyid al-Dawla during the Kurdish dynasty, Marwanids era in Diyarbakır, and was built by architect Ubeyd the son of Sancar in 1065, as stated in two lines of Kufic script in the inscription mounted on the southern facade of the bridge.
The bridge is situated south of the city, outside of Mardinkapı/Deriyê Mêrdînê. Its location is the nearest to the city considered the bends and the course of the river as well as the rate of water flow. Built with black volcanic stones, the bridge is long and wide, varying at some places on it. Longest span of the ten arches measures.
Due to its historic characteristic, motorized traffic over the bridge suspended after the construction of the Marwanids Bridge, or as initially named Bağıvar Bridge, in November 2009. The new bridge was built about south of Dicle Bridge, far enough not to spoil the landscape view of the old bridge.