Dyavolski most

Dyavolski most

Дяволски мост
Dyavolski most; Дяволски мост
	Devil's Bridge near Ardino, Bulgaria
Coordinates	41°37′14″N 25°06′51″E / 41.620616°N 25.114210°E
Carries	pedestrians
Crosses	Arda River
Locale	close to Ardino, Bulgaria
Characteristics
Design	arch bridge
Total length	56 metres (184 ft)
Width	3.5 metres (11 ft)
Longest span	13 metres (43 ft)
Clearance below	11.50 metres (37.7 ft)
History
Construction start	1515
Construction end	1518
Opened	uncertain
Location

The Dyavolski most (Bulgarian: Дяволски мост, lit. 'Devil's Bridge'; Turkish: Şeytan Köprüsü) is an arch bridge over the Arda River in a narrow gorge. It is 10 km (6.2 mi) from the Bulgarian town of Ardino in the Rhodope Mountains and is part of the ancient road connecting the lowlands of Thrace with the north Aegean Sea coast. ^[1]

Dyavolski most was rebuilt between 1515 and 1518 by the Bulgarian Master Dimitar. Legend has it that the bridge was built by the Romans to link the Aegean Sea and the region of Thrace in Bulgaria. The bridge, the largest and best known of its kind in the Rhodopes, is 56 m (183.7 ft) long and has three arches, but also features holes with small semicircular arches for reading the water level. The Dyavolski most is 3.5 m (11.5 ft) wide and its main arch is 11.50 m (37.7 ft) high. A stone parapet, 12 cm (4.7 in) tall, is preserved on the sides, and breakwaters are placed opposite the stream.^[1]

International long-distance hiking trail the Sultans Trail passes the bridge from Ardino to Kardzhali.

The bridge was proclaimed a monument of culture on 24 February 1984.^[1]