The Edirne Meric/Mecidiye Bridge and Figured Stone Ornaments

Abstract

The Merig/Mecidiye Bridge, a special place among the Edirne bridges in the Ottoman period, is the subject of our study. The existing bridge, which Sultan Mahmud II decided to make in 1833, was built by Sultan Abdulmecit from 1842-1847. The stone bridge on the Meric River is particularly noticeable with figured stone ornaments on its piers. The double dragon figure, which is on the first arch of the upstream facade, has importance due to the application period and bridge. Additionally, on this facade, there is a star, a crescent relief, and three rows of stone bird perches, in the form of a ledge, make the structure special. In this study, the bridge and its historical and architectural features are studied. In particular, the symbolic meanings of the figures on the piers of the bridge are emphasized by making descriptions of the dragon figures, star and crescents, and the stone perches, which act as bird houses. The examples were evaluated in terms of the Anatolian Seljuk period animal figure tradition and the use of the figurative stone ornamentation in the Late Ottoman architecture.