The Ten-Eyed Bridge of Diyarbakır
- Sherko Sabir
- 23 hours ago
- 4 min read
Introduction
The Ten-Eyed Bridge (Kurdish: Pira Dehçavî) is a historic stone bridge that has carried travellers across the Tigris below the ancient city of Diyarbakır for nearly a thousand years. Built of the dark basalt that gives the region its character, its row of graceful arches — the “ten eyes” that give it its name — spans the great river just downstream of the city’s famous black walls. Raised in the days of a Kurdish dynasty, it is one of the oldest and most beloved bridges in the land.
A crossing of the Tigris that has outlasted empires, the Ten-Eyed Bridge links Diyarbakır to its deep past. This profile looks at the bridge, its builders, and its setting.
Key Takeaways
• The Ten-Eyed Bridge (Pira Dehçavî) is a historic stone bridge over the Tigris below Diyarbakır.
• It takes its name from its row of ten arches, or “eyes.”
• It was built in the 11th century, in the time of the Kurdish Marwanid dynasty.
• The bridge is made of the region’s characteristic black basalt.
• It is one of the oldest and most famous bridges in the Kurdish region.
Quick Facts
Name (Kurdish): Pira Dehçavî
Also Called: On Gözlü Köprü / Dicle Bridge
Type: Historic stone arch bridge
Country / Region: Turkey (Bakur)
River: The Tigris
Near: Diyarbakır
Built: 11th century (Marwanid era)
Material: Black basalt
Contents
Where Is the Ten-Eyed Bridge?
The Ten-Eyed Bridge crosses the Tigris a short way below the old city of Diyarbakır, where the great river curves past the city’s black basalt walls and the green Hevsel Gardens. It stands on the historic road running south and east toward the lands of Silvan — the medieval Mayyafariqin — and the Tigris country around Hasankeyf. For centuries this was a vital crossing on the routes through the region.
The Ten Eyes
The bridge takes its name from its arches: ten openings, or “eyes,” through which the waters of the Tigris flow. Carried on sturdy piers, the arches step across the broad river in a long, low line, their dark stone reflected in the water below. The rhythm of the arches, varying slightly in size to suit the riverbed, gives the bridge its distinctive and much-loved profile, a familiar sight to all who have crossed the Tigris here over the centuries.
A Bridge of the Marwanids
An inscription on the bridge records that it was built in the eleventh century, in the time of the Marwanids — a Kurdish dynasty that ruled Diyarbakır and the surrounding region from their capital at Mayyafariqin. The Marwanid age was a golden era for the area, marked by prosperity, learning, and fine building, and the Ten-Eyed Bridge is one of its proudest surviving monuments. That a Kurdish dynasty raised this great crossing of the Tigris gives the bridge a special place in the region’s history.
Stone, River, and City
Like the famous walls of Diyarbakır, the bridge is built from the black volcanic basalt of the region, a hard dark stone that has defined the look of the city and its monuments for thousands of years. Set against the river and the distant walls, the dark arches of the bridge form part of one of the most striking historic landscapes in the land, where the Tigris, the basalt, and the ancient city come together.
The Bridge Today
Today the Ten-Eyed Bridge stands as a protected historic monument, no longer carrying the main traffic of the region but cherished as a landmark and a link to the medieval past. Visitors come to walk its arches, take in the views along the Tigris, and admire a structure that has survived nearly a thousand years of floods and history. It remains one of the enduring treasures of Diyarbakır and the Kurdish region.
Timeline
11th century — The bridge is built over the Tigris in the Marwanid era.
medieval times — It serves as a key crossing on the roads through the region.
over the centuries — The basalt bridge endures the floods of the great river.
modern era — It is preserved as a protected historic monument.
today — The Ten-Eyed Bridge is a beloved landmark below Diyarbakır.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Ten-Eyed Bridge?
It is a historic stone bridge over the Tigris below Diyarbakır, named for its row of ten arches or “eyes,” built in the 11th century.
Who built the Ten-Eyed Bridge?
It was built in the time of the Marwanids, a Kurdish dynasty that ruled the Diyarbakır region in the 10th and 11th centuries, as recorded by an inscription on the bridge.
Where is the Ten-Eyed Bridge?
It crosses the Tigris just below the old city of Diyarbakır in south-eastern Turkey, near the city’s famous black basalt walls.
Why is the bridge famous?
It is one of the oldest and most beautiful bridges in the region, a fine work of medieval Kurdish-era engineering in the characteristic black basalt of Diyarbakır.
Related People, Places, and Topics
The Marwanid dynasty · the Tigris · the walls of Diyarbakır · Diyarbakır · Silvan · Hasankeyf.
References and Further Reading
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