Beyond the first bridges, built without doubt with natural elements such as a log dropped over a stream, or stones placed in a river bed, it is possible to find very old bridges all over the world. We invite you to take a look at the oldest bridges throughout the globe.
The oldest known bridge is the Kazarma Bridge or Arkadiko Bridge, located in Argolida, in the Peloponnese, Greece, whose construction dates back to the Mycenaean period, around 1300 BC. The Arkadiko Bridge is still used today for local pedestrian and agricultural traffic and has been in service for more than 3,000 years. It was part of the road linking the city-states of Mycenae, Argos and Tirynthos with the port of Palaia Epidavros. This bridge, along with three others from the same period (though less well preserved), was able to accommodate chariots and therefore is proof of the central power that Mycenae exercised over other cities in the region. The Arkadiko Bridge consists of a corbelled arched vault made of Cyclopean blocks stacked without mortar, characteristic of buildings of the period.
Tarr’s Steps is a clapper bridge that crosses the River Barle in Exmoor National Park, Somerset, England. The stone slabs that make up the bridge weigh up to two tonnes each. Whilst some theories place the construction of this bridge in the Bronze Age (33oo to 1200 BC), others date it to around 1400 AD. It has been restored several times following flood damage. Given its architectural interest, we’re including it in our list of the world’s oldest bridges.
The Caravan Bridge in Izmir, Turkey, dates back some 3,000 years. Originally built in 850 BC to allow camel caravans to cross the Meles River and enter the city, the sturdy slab arch is still in use and still provides passage for vehicles and pedestrians. This fact makes it, (according to the Guinness Book of Records), one of the oldest bridges in the world still in use. Ancient sources claim that the classical Greek author Homer was born by the River Meles and, in fact, both the river and the Caravan Bridge are mentioned numerous times in his work.
The Fabricius Bridge over the River Tiber, named after its creator, Lucius Fabricius, connects the city of Rome with the Tiber Island. According to the Roman historian and senator Dion Cassius, the bridge was built in 62 BC, the year after Cicero was appointed consul. It was built to replace an earlier wooden bridge destroyed by fire. With a length of 62 m and a width of 5.5 m, the Fabricius Bridge stands on two wide arches supported by a central pillar in the middle of the riverbed. With the exception of a four-headed monument added during a 16th century restoration, this pedestrian walkway has remained unchanged and in use since its construction, making it the oldest bridge still in use in the city of Rome, and one of the world’s oldest.
Finally, we will look at the monumental bridge of Alcántara: a Roman bridge built between 103 and 104 AD. A clear example of Roman civil engineering, the Alcántara Bridge crosses the Tagus River in the Spanish town of the same name, in the province of Cáceres. The tall pillars, which enhance its verticality, as well as the buttresses and arches, combine to offer a clear sense of monumentality. An inscription on the central arch alludes to the Emperor Trajan, under whose rule it was built.
The next bridges on the list of the oldest bridges are spread around the world, whether they serve their purpose in Turkey, Iran, Germany or China. You will find them in our sources, which we leave here to satisfy your curiosity, as for reasons of space we have only dealt with the 5 most important ones.
