A Bridge That Spans Millennia
A BRIDGE THAT SPANS MILLENNIA
There is an ancient artefact in the Peloponnese that deserves to be honoured: a bridge. Not just any bridge, but one that has served for three and a half millennia, give or take a century or two.
The Arkadiko Bridge has been in use since long before Menelaos persuaded fellow Greeks to join him in attacking the city of Troy in what is today called the Trojan War. Examination in situ has revealed ruts showing that countless horse-drawn chariots used the bridge.
It was constructed by Mycenaeans to facilitate travel between the cities of Tiryns - birthplace of our favourite hero Herakles himself - and the port city of Epidauros where Asklepios son of Apollo was born.
Mycenaean engineering shines forth in that the bridge still stands though built without mortar or other cementing binder. Symmetrical alignment of heavy limestone blocks in the vertical plane, a technique called Cyclopean Masonry, has guaranteed its stability over the centuries.
The gods too seem to have extended their protection over the Arkadiko Bridge ; while Epidauros' Temple of Asklepios and spectacular theatre see tourists arriving en masse, the Arkadiko and its four sister bridges, all the work of Mycenaean hands, are oases of heavenly tranquillity.
Click below for a two-minute film showing this unsung Wonder of the World.
This notice was written without AI.