Bridge near Limyra, Roman stone bridge in Antalya Province, Turkey.
The Bridge near Limyra is a Roman stone structure stretching roughly 360 meters across the Alakır Çayı river with 26 segmental arches supporting its span. The construction combines brick, cut stone, and rubble to achieve a flat crossing over the water.
The structure was built in the 2nd or 3rd century AD to connect the ancient cities of Limyra and Attaleia along trade routes. Its construction marked a key moment when Roman engineers invested in linking these Lycian settlements.
The bridge demonstrates Roman construction methods adapted for Lycian geography, showing how ancient engineers solved the challenge of crossing a major river with lasting materials. It reflects the practical knowledge that made trade and communication possible across this mountainous region.
The bridge sits about 3 to 4 kilometers east of Limyra's ruins and can be accessed from that direction. Much of the structure remains buried under river sediments, and the surrounding area is now covered with agricultural greenhouses.
The bridge has an unusually flat profile with a span-to-rise ratio of about 5 to 1, making it one of the oldest known segmented arch bridges with this design. This flat shape was remarkable for its era and showed innovative thinking in bridging techniques.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
