Jüstinyen Köprüsü tarsus

The Jüstinyen Köprüsü — known also as the Baç Bridge — is a Byzantine stone arch bridge built in the 6th century by Emperor Justinian I over the Berdan (Tarsus) River, constructed to protect the city from seasonal flooding. Tradition holds it once had twenty-one arches; only three survive today. Its nickname 'Baç' derives from the toll (baç) collected from merchants crossing into Tarsus, reflecting the city's importance on ancient trade routes through Cilicia. Restored in 1978, the bridge carried vehicle traffic until relatively recently. It now sits quietly off the main road — invisible to passing drivers — surrounded by birdsong and overgrown banks, making it an unexpectedly serene remnant of Eastern Roman engineering.