Çobandede Bridge ( tr, Çobandede Köprüsü, also called Çoban Bridge) is a historical bridge in

Erzurum Province Erzurum Province ( tr, Erzurum ili) is a province of Turkey in the Eastern Anatolia Region of the country. The capital of the province is the city of Erzurum. It is bordered by the provinces of Kars and Ağrı to the east, Muş and Bingöl to the ...

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...

Location

The bridge is at to the east of

Köprüköy Köprüköy, ( ku, Avnîk) is a town and district of Erzurum Province in the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental co ...

ilçe (district) of

. Köprüköy, literally "bridge Ville" is named after the bridge. The bridge is situated at the point where two tributaries of the Aras River meet. It is on the road from Erzurum to Muş. Currently, Çobandede Bridge is out of service and the Turkish state highway is over a parallel bridge about east of Çobandede Bridge.

History

In 1865 a priest, Archimandrite Timeteos, copied an inscription, in Armenian that was on the bridge. It read "this bridge, founded by the Armenians, was repaired by the Magistros under the auspices of the monastery of Sourb Astvatzatzin and the castle of Darun in the year 609" (609 is equivalent to the year 1160). In 1904, Kajberuny saw this inscription, and two others in Arabic, saying that they were located above the arches on the eastern side of the bridge. Neither the Armenian inscription nor the two Arabic inscriptions currently survive on the bridge. A fourth inscription, not seen by Kajberuny, in Arabic, still survives but in a worn and damaged condition. It is located on the bridge's parapet. About the "Magistros" mentioned in the inscription, Kortoshian writes that it may be the family title used by descendants of Grigor Magistros.Raffi Kortoshian, "What is Concealed in the Turkish Information Boards", Vardzqporq, volume 4, 2011, pages 1-12. He was buried in Sourb Astvatzatzin monastery close to nearby

Pasinler Pasinler or Basean ( tr, Pasinler; hy, Բասէն, translit=Pasēn; ka, ბასიანი, tr; la, Phasiani; el, Φασιανοί, translit=Phasianoí; formerly Hasankale and Hesenqele 'the fortress of Hasan'), is a municipality and Distr ...

(Hasankale); Darun (Daroynk) has been identified as either Hasankale or Dogubayazit. Turkish researchers write it was constructed during the

Mongol The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , , ; ; russian: Монголы) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, Inner Mongolia in China and the Buryatia Republic of the Russian Federation. The Mongols are the principal member of ...

occupation of

Anatolia Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...

towards the end of the 13th century.Historical Bridges page by Prof. Gülsüm Tanyeli
/ref> According to one view, up to 1271 flood, there was an ancient bridge near Çobandede Bridge. Thus Çobandedde Bridge was constructed later than 1271. In a barely readable part of the inscription, there is a date that corresponds to 1289. This date is in accordance with the name of the bridge. Because towards the conclusion of the 13th century, Ilkhanid authority in Anatolia was represented by Mongol general

Chupan Amir Chūpān ( fa, امیر چوپان; died November 1327), also spelt Choban or Coban, was a Chupanid noble of the Ilkhanate, and nominal general of the Mongol Empire. He was ennobled by Emperor Taiding of Yuan as Duke of Yi (翊國公). Bac ...

(called ''Emir Çoban'' in Turkish). The bridge was restored in 1727, and again in 1872. In 1946-48 it was additionally restored by the Turkish army.

Technical details

The building material is cut stone with three different colors (black, red and, gray). The total length of the bridge is . In the original design, the bridge had seven arches. But one of the arches is now buried underground. Currently the width of the six remaining arches are; , , , , and .Fügen İlter: ''Osmanlılara kadar Anadolu Türk Köprüleri'', Karayolları Yayınları, pp.191-192 There are eight chambers in the abutments.

References

{{Bridges in Turkey Arch bridges in Turkey Buildings and structures in Erzincan Province Bridges completed in the 13th century