Hasankeyf Old Bridge

The Hasankeyf Old Bridge (Eski Köprü) is the monumental ruin of a stone bridge that the Artuqid Turkmens raised over the Tigris River in the mid-12th century, roughly between 1147 and 1167.

History

It is credited to Fakhr ad-Din Qara Arslan, the fourth ruler of the Hasankeyf branch of the Artuqid dynasty. Its main arch spanned about 40 metres (40.32 m), making it probably the largest single stone arch span in the world at the time of its construction, a distinction it held until the Pont du Diable in France was completed in 1341. Repaired under the Ayyubid and Aq Qoyunlu rulers in the 14th and 15th centuries, the bridge collapsed before the mid-17th century, leaving only its towering piers standing mid-river.

Architecture and Reliefs

The four-arch bridge was around 200 metres long; its two great piers rising from the riverbed were faced in basalt, while the arches and walls were built of cut limestone and brick, the stones clamped together with lead. Five reliefs on the upstream faces of the piers depicted figures in kaftans and boots, thought to represent the ruler's bodyguard corps and continuing a Central Asian painting tradition that is rare in Anatolia. Four of these reliefs were moved to the Batman Museum in 2018 ahead of the flooding.

The Reservoir and Today

For centuries those piers formed Hasankeyf's postcard silhouette alongside the castle and the cave city, becoming a symbol of the town. Since August 2020, however, the filling of the Ilisu Dam reservoir has largely submerged the piers, which had been reinforced and waterproofed beforehand with a view to future underwater tourism.

Visiting and Access

For visitors the Old Bridge remains one of Hasankeyf's most photographed sights, and agencies fold it into the Hasankeyf stop of Mardin-Diyarbakir GAP tours. The piers can no longer be walked; they are best seen from the reservoir shore viewpoints and boat tours, and they partly re-emerge when water levels drop. A typical viewing takes 15-30 minutes and is combined with the castle, cave city, Zeynel Bey Tomb and Cultural Park for a half-day Hasankeyf visit. The most striking photographs are taken from the castle plateau, the Tigris quay and the boat deck, especially at golden hour when the piers mirror in the water.

Hasankeyf lies about 37 km south of Batman city by road; car parks around the new settlement and jetty accommodate tour coaches. Shore viewpoints and the jetty are relatively accessible for visitors with reduced mobility, though the castle and cave slopes are steep and demanding. Spring (April-May) and autumn (September-October) are the best seasons, as midsummer is very hot and shadeless by afternoon, with peak crowds over spring holidays and summer. A recommended route begins at the Batman Museum, continues to the relocated monuments in the New Hasankeyf Cultural Park, then the castle and cave city, and ends with a boat tour from the jetty to view the Old Bridge piers and the reservoir.