Bridge with the dead

The city of Arta is one of the attractions of Greece

After visiting the city of Patras and driving along the famous bridge over the Gulf of Corinth, I directed the car to the north. The road was excellent, I was driving and did not notice how I drove quite far to the city of Arta.

This is a very ancient city. Now it is the capital, transport hub, as well as the commercial and administrative center of the prefecture. The vibrant city is rich in archaeological sites, colorful pedestrian areas, modern shopping centers, cafes and bars.

In 1204, Arta became the prosperous capital of one of the three Greek states - Epirus Despotate. The city is located 370 km northwest of Athens (across the Rio Antirio Bridge) and 444 km southwest of Thessaloniki.

The road went around the city and I saw an interesting ancient stone bridge.

This is a unique Arta bridge connecting the banks of the Arakhsos River. The 145-meter-long bridge was built during the period of Epirus Despotate.

This bridge is the main attraction of ancient Arta. According to legend, it was built on the bones of the wife of the architect who designed it. The bridge was built, but every time it collapsed. The architect had a vision that the bridge would only stand if he sacrificed his wife. He was very upset, but told his wife that he had lost his wedding ring at a construction site. She went to look for him and the workers, by order of the architect, began to bury the unfortunate. She screamed and showered with their curses. But she was told that if the bridge would not stand, then her beloved brother might go over it and break. Then she humbly accepted her fate. Such a sad legend lives next to this amazing bridge.

This is probably just a legend. It is unlikely that the bones of the architect’s wife are in the stones of the bridge. Unless she was nasty herself and did not know how to cook.

In fact, the construction of the bridge was commissioned by the Turks to ferry their army across the river. The Greeks, learning about the true purpose of construction, enthusiastically built a bridge during daylight hours, and destroyed it at night. The Turks could not understand what was the matter for a long time, and when they understood, they executed the foreman of the masons and his wife. History did not save the names of the heroes, and time turned events into legends.

Although, in the city of Arta there is an urban legend that the spirit of that woman walks around the bridge and howls. They say that this howl is heard by passers-by who walk across the bridge.

In the river under the bridge you can see how large fishes swim. These seem to be sturgeons.

The stories of the architect’s wife do not end with the terrible fate.

There is a cafe on the riverbank near the bridge. Near the cafe there is a big tree.

Near the bridge, not far from the place where the first invisible arch of the bridge is located, stands the famous centuries-old tree, referred to as Platan Ali Pasha. Legend has it that the then governor of Arta was very fond of sitting in the shadow of this plane tree, watching from behind the veil the work of stubborn Greeks who dared to challenge his authority. The legend adds that local girls were walled up in the bridge, who dared to refuse reciprocity to the loving Turk.

This is one of the most beautiful and oldest plane trees in all of Greece. It was declared a protected natural monument in 1976. It turns out that the tree is more than 400 years old. Of course, impressive. Its branches - in fact, almost trees by themselves, are so stretched in different directions that under them you can walk a large Greek wedding, and will not be crowded.

On the branches of this plane tree even rebels were hung.

In general, a tree with a rich history.

Now under the branches of a plane tree is a cafe. You can order coffee or something else and sit and look at the bridge, the water, the mountains in the distance.

It was a great place to relax in front of the road further. There is so much to see in Greece.

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