A 500-year-old historical bridge in northwestern Turkey's Dilovası district built by the legendary Ottoman architect Sinan and located on the route used for expeditions to Baghdad and Anatolia during the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent has been standing strong for centuries without being damaged. Thanks to its architectural features, even deadly floods and earthquakes couldn't bring it down.

The triangular pods in front of the bridge keep away debris flowing with the current and prevent it from damaging the bridge. The bridge, which was designed with superior architectural intelligence, is still intact without ever sustaining catastrophic damage, even from major floods.

Emphasizing that it is known that the bridge, which has stood for more than four centuries, was built during the period of Mimar Sinan, historian and writer Recep Kankal said: "It is called Mimar (architect) Sinan Bridge in reference to its design. Its location is in the Diliskelesi suburb of the Dilovası district, in Kocaeli province, and this historic bridge is over the Dilderesi River. It is also called Suleiman the Magnificent Bridge by the people of the region, referring to the Baghdad expeditions during the sultan's reign also mentioned in historical sources."

"However, it is not clear that Sinan built it, but it is exactly the same as the historical bridge in Haramidere in Istanbul. Since Sinan built the Haramidere bridge, it is widely believed that he also built this one due to its architectural similarities," he explained.

Kankal explained that the 16th-century bridge's architectural features would continue to ensure its durability for centuries to come. The challenge was to build a long-lasting bridge and at the same time allow unhindered usage for military expeditions to Baghdad and Anatolia for Suleiman the Magnificent and enable him to prepare for war while in the region.

Noting that the bridge remained a little further inland after the D-100 Highway was built, Kankal said: "Between 1972 and 1973, the area underwent renovations by the General Directorate of Highways. The bridge was opened to pedestrians in 1972 and closed to vehicle traffic. It is possible to say that the bridge is still open to pedestrian use toward the suburb of Diliskelesi. Dilderesi is 12 kilometers (7.56 miles) long and the bridge is at the 11-kilometer mark. Dilderesi meets the gulf at the 12th kilometer. From here, it connects with the Sea of ​​Marmara. There is no other bridge-like structure on the transit route here. Since this route is the Baghdad Road, such a historical structure was built here and we know that it has been here for more than four centuries."

The bridge protects itself

Emphasizing that the region where the bridge is located suffered a major flood disaster in 1943, Kankal said: "However, due to the importance of the architectural features here, no damage was caused by the flood. The bridge has been standing firm since its construction because there are three arches on the bridge, which we see in Sinan's structures of that time. It has three middle arches and two chambers on the sides, which reduce the hydraulic load, that is, in case of a flood, in case of any major flood, all the rubble coming from 11 kilometers away are emptied through the eyes here without damaging the bridge."

"Debris is emptied before the 9.5-meter (31.17-foot) area in the middle and discharged into the side chambers. Small pieces of rubble are evacuated with water through the eyes on the right and left, which are seen in the middle, and the bridge remains standing," he outlined.

Kankal noted that these features are one of the reasons why the architectural features of historical buildings from Ottoman period have survived for centuries.

"In front of the bridge, there are two triangular protrusions, which we call flood-breakers or breakwaters. These help break up debris ... In this sense, although we see how new technologies have developed, we also see how historical bridges have strongly survived natural disasters and floods," he said.