Nasrullah Bridge, also known locally as the Hunchback Bridge, ( tr, Nasrullah Köprüsü or ''Kambur Köprü'') is a 16th-century stone

arch bridge An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side. A viaduct ...

Kastamonu Kastamonu is the capital district of the Kastamonu Province, Turkey. According to the 2000 census, population of the district is 102,059 of which 64,606 live in the urban center of Kastamonu. (Population of the urban center in 2010 is 91,012.) The ...

, Turkey. The bridge is located in the city center over Karaçomak Creek, a tributary of Gökırmak, connecting western and eastern parts of the city. Nasrullah Mosque is to the west and the

Kastamonu Governor's Office The Kastamonu Governor's Office ( tr, Kastamonu Hükümet Konağı) is the main service building of the governor ( vali) of Kastamonu Province, Turkey. The historic building hosts also a city history museum. It is situated on 10 Aralık Cad. 20/1 ...

is to the east. It was endowed as a

waqf A waqf ( ar, وَقْف; ), also known as hubous () or '' mortmain'' property is an inalienable charitable endowment under Islamic law. It typically involves donating a building, plot of land or other assets for Muslim religious or charitab ...

in 1501 by Kadı Nasrullah, who was a judge in the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

. The ashlar-constructed bridge had originally five arches. It was long and wide. The main arch span was and the others in length. It underwent three major reparations, the last two times in 1709 and in 1946. During the last reparation, a staircase was added to each end of the bridge when the west-most one arch and the east-most two arches were ripped off. Today, the bridge has two arches only. The two original stone alms pots and the curbstones on the bridge are still preserved. Due to its unusual appearance, it is dubbed by the citizens the ''Hunchback Bridge'' ( tr, Kambur Köprü). The Minister of Forestry Veysel Eroğlu announced in 2016 that the bridge will be reconstructed to its original form.

References

{{Bridges in Turkey Kastamonu Bridges completed in the 16th century Arch bridges in Turkey Ottoman bridges in Turkey Buildings and structures in Kastamonu Province Pedestrian bridges in Turkey Stone bridges in Turkey Deck arch bridges