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Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said Turkey has completed the tender process for reconstructing the historic Ani Bridge on the border with Armenia. The bridge, built in the 10th century on the Silk Road in the medieval city of Ani, survives only as foundation remains.

The restoration will be carried out under a protocol signed in Yerevan on May 4 by a joint commission that includes the ministry and the General Directorate of Highways (KGM).

A Silk Road crossing reduced to foundations

Uraloğlu made the announcement in a written statement on restoration work at the bridge inside the Ani archaeological site in Kars. The structure was built in the 10th century as a customs gate on the Silk Road and served for centuries as one of the main crossing points for trade between east and west, he said. Only its foundations have survived to the present day.

According to Uraloğlu, the original bridge measured 80 metres long and 8 metres wide, and stood at the narrowest point of the Arpaçay River, where the channel width falls to 36 metres. Its circular arch, with a span of 31 metres, collapsed on October 16, 1807.

Uraloğlu stressed that the bridge carries major historical and cultural value and that the aim is to pass the structure on to future generations. The Ani site, which includes the bridge, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2016 with 21 cultural assets.

Joint commission to oversee the restoration

Under a protocol signed between Turkey and Armenia, the restoration work will be coordinated by a joint commission. Uraloğlu said the document, which sets out the scope and method of the reconstruction, was signed in Yerevan on May 4 at a meeting attended by Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz.

"In line with the protocol signed at that meeting, the restoration process will be carried out by a joint commission that includes our Ministry and the General Directorate of Highways," Uraloğlu said.

Tender concluded in September

Uraloğlu said KGM held the tender for the restoration implementation on September 16 and that the contract was signed on September 28, completing the procurement stage for the bridge's reconstruction.

"With the reconstruction of the historic bridge, we aim to preserve one of the important cultural legacies of the Silk Road and pass it on to future generations," Uraloğlu said.

Key takeaways

• Turkey has completed the tender for rebuilding the Ani Bridge on the border with Armenia.
• The 10th-century Silk Road bridge survives only as foundations; its 31-metre arch collapsed on October 16, 1807.
• A joint commission including the Turkish ministry and KGM will coordinate the restoration under a protocol signed in Yerevan on May 4.
• KGM held the implementation tender on September 16 and signed the contract on September 28.