Ala Bridge | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 36°10′30″N32°53′41″E / 36.1751°N 32.8948°E /36.1751; 32.8948 |
| Crosses | Dragon Creek |
| Characteristics | |
| Material | Stone arches |
| Total length | 54 m (177 ft) |
| Longest span | 19.65metres (64 ft) |
| No. of spans | 2 |
| History | |
| Construction start | 14th century |
| Location | |
 Interactive map of Ala Bridge | |
Ala Bridge (Turkish:Ala Köprü) is a historic bridge inTurkey. It is still in use.
The bridge is inAnamur ilçe (district) ofMersin Province. It is on the road connecting Anamur toErmenek at36°10′31″N32°53′41″E / 36.17528°N 32.89472°E /36.17528; 32.89472 and onDragon Creek. Its distance to Anamur is 17 kilometres (11 mi).[1]Alaköprü Dam is to the north of the bridge.
The bridge was constructed by theKaramanids. Karamanids were aTurkmen beylik which were the main rivals of theOttomans in Anatolia up to the end of the 15th century. (seeAnatolian Beyliks) In the 14th century they dominated most of the Mediterranean coast. They constructed the bridge to control Anamur in the coast from Ermenek a city in the mountains. But there is no inscription on the bridge and exact construction date is unknown.[2]
The bridge is an arch type bridge. Main arch is a 19.65 metres (64.5 ft) arch. There is also a minor arch next to the main arch which acts as a discharging cell during heavy rain fall. The total length of the bridge is 54 metres (177 ft) and the height of the parapet is 0.75 metres (2 ft 6 in)[1]
