Ain Diwar Bridge

The Ain Diwar Bridge is a ruined masonry arch Roman bridge, 3.5 km northeast of the town of Ain Diwar, Syria. The bridge is within vicinity of the Syria, Iraq and Turkey border region and about 500 m west of the Tigris River of which it used to cross.

Ain Diwar Bridge
The remaining span of the bridge at Ain Diwar; the Tigris flows in the distance
Coordinates 37°18′52″N 42°12′56″E
Crossesformerly crossed the Tigris River
LocaleClose to Ain Diwar, Syria
Characteristics
DesignArch bridge
MaterialStone
No. of spans1 existing

The Ain Diwar bridge was built in the 2nd century by the Romans to give them access to Upper Mesopotamia. The Romans also previously set up the Bezabde Camp (modern day Cizre, Turkey) nearby.[1] It was refurbished by the Seljuks and Arabs in the late 12th or early 13th century. The Ain Diwar Bridge is often referred to as a great example of Islamic architecture and civil engineering but the carvings on the bridge have never been published in detail. Stone carvings on the bridge depict astrological figures, zodiac signs and cavalrymen which are attributed to Roman architecture.[2]

However, the structure is listed neither by O'Connor nor Galliazzo in their comprehensive surveys of Roman bridges.[3]

See also

References
  1. Syria & Lebanon handbook: the travel guide By Ivan Mannheim, 2001, pg. 397
  2. The Crusades by David Nicolle, 2001. pg. 58.
  3. O’Connor 1993; Galliazzo 1994

Sources
  • O’Connor, Colin (1993), Roman Bridges, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-39326-4
  • Galliazzo, Vittorio (1994), I ponti romani. Catalogo generale, Vol. 2, Treviso: Edizioni Canova, ISBN 88-85066-66-6

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