History was right there. In the moss, in the wind, in the strong arches that had withstood the weight of centuries. And, perhaps, at that moment, it was looking at me as intently as I was looking at it...
During my stay in Malatya I visited the famous bridge HEKIMHAN-KHALIL RIFAT PASHA BRIDGE My Turkish friend knows that I love visiting historical places. And he said, I will show you a very old Ottoman bridge. We drove by car along a dirt road towards Hekimhan. The road ran through rugged mountains, among dry, amazingly beautiful purple flowers...
HEKİMHAN-HALİL RIFAT PAŞA KÖPRÜSÜ bridge, which has 19th century characteristics, is located in the village of Kütüknün Hanı in the village of Yesılkale, 33 km from Hekimhan. It is built of hewn stone. The arches of the bridge are built in a cross pattern, reflecting the structure of the stream flowing under the road. The retaining wall on the northwestern side of the bridge rises to the level of the arch. Under the arch is a sluice gate, which forms the base of the arch. The single-arch bridge is 3.80 m wide and 4.15 m high from the keystone to the top of the side railings. The distance from the bottom of the keystone to the top of the side railings is 1.75 m. Retaining walls were built on both sides of the bridge to ensure the stability of the bridge and the road. Overall, the bridge is in good condition.
I stopped my car on this historic bridge and got out. I walked across the ancient Hekimhan Bridge, the Halil Rifat Pasha Bridge. The stones beneath my feet were strong and unharmed, and each slab seemed alive, imbued with the breath of centuries. I touched the walls, covered with multi-colored moss, which almost wrote the chronicle of time itself...
The harsh nature of central Turkey added to the feeling of being outside of reality. Dry, thorny purple flowers of incredible beauty swayed in the wind. I closed my eyes and imagined...
I felt that here, on this bridge, the shadows of the past still lived. As if the Ottoman soldiers who had once marched across these stone slabs had never completely disappeared. Their footsteps echoed in the sound of the river, their breath mingled with the wind. For a moment, one could imagine the drums of march, the glint of sabers, the shadows of Janissaries advancing into the unknown...
I took photos again and again, getting exclusive shots of this ancient bridge. Each image looks like a masterpiece, a unique memory of the great Ottoman Empire. The bridge seemed to open a door to another time, where each stone whispered: "I have seen more than you can imagine. I remember the empire, I preserve its traces."
I hope you enjoyed my creative walk through history. The post was written for the great initiative #wednesdaywalk by @tattoodjay :)
Thank you for your visit 🙏