Bıçakçı Bridge (literally "Cutter's Bridge") is a historic deck arch bridge in

Karaman Province Karaman Province () is a province of south-central Turkey. Its area is 8,678 km2, and its population is 260,838 (2022). According to the 2000 census, the population was 243,210. The population density is 30 people/km. The traffic code is 7 ...

, southwestern Turkey. It is on the road Bucakkışla -

Ermenek Ermenek is a town in Karaman Province in the Mediterranean Region, Turkey, Mediterranean region of Turkey. It is the seat of Ermenek District.

, and spans over the

Göksu River The Göksu River (), known in classical antiquity, antiquity as the Calycadnus and in the Middle Ages as the Saleph, is a river on the Taşeli, Taşeli Plateau in southern Turkey. Its two sources arise in the Taurus Mountains—the northern in t ...

at . The length of the asymmetric stone

deck 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, and partiall ...

is . Its width is It consists of a -long main arch flanked by two minor arches. There are also four auxiliary flood openings two in each side. The exact construction date is unknown. Judging from the masonry, it is assumed that the bridge was built in the 14th century when the area around the bridge was under the rule of

Karamanids The Karamanids ( or ), also known as the Emirate of Karaman and Beylik of Karaman (), was a Turkish people, Turkish Anatolian beyliks, Anatolian beylik (principality) of Salur tribe origin, descended from Oghuz Turks, centered in South-Centra ...

Legend

According to a legend, the bridge was commissioned by a very wealthy woman. At the end of the construction, the architect was paid. After the payment was made, the architect wanted to buy a decorated dagger hung on the wall. The woman agreed to give the knife as a present to the architect, and the architect returned all the money on the condition that the money would be spend for the poor. That is why the bridge is known as Bıçakçı ("the cutter").

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bicakci Bridge Buildings and structures in Karaman Province Road bridges in Turkey Anatolia Beyliks bridges Stone bridges in Turkey Arch bridges in Turkey