Gorica Bridge (18th century)

Cultural asset

A very important connecting junction between the two parts of the city, the Gorica Bridge is mentioned for the first time in the 17^th century by the Turkish traveler Evliah Çelebi, who wrote that that bridge was initially constructed of oak beams placed on stone supports. According to a book in the Church of Saint George (1777), the GoricaBridge was built of stone by Ahmet Kurt Pasha. In 1880 it was destroyed by the floods of the OsumRiver and underwent frequent repairs to its structure until the 1930s when the monument was transformed from its original construction. Engravings of the original construction were made by foreign visitors like the Englishmen Stockly and Crockwell in the 19^th century, and today clearly show the details which have now been altered from the original arches and crowns. 

In its present state, the Gorica Bridge has seven arches, is flat in the center of the passageway and inclined on its entrance and exit. The length of the bridge is 127 meters and is composed by seven semicircular arches, that are between 6.7 meters wide (the first on the right) and 16.5 meters (the second on the right). The six legs of the bridge have windows to allow water to flow through, and five of the legs have two other small windows above. Five of the supporting legs were also built with elements to break the rapid flow of the river water.

Contact

Contact person: Eugen Kallfani, Eriseld Zyka
Telephone/Fax: 032232393
Opening/visiting hours: You can visit during all the day
E-mail: [email protected] ;  [email protected]