Old Bridge

Epiros


This stone bridge, likely built in the early 1600s, spans the Arahthos River in four elegant arches. (The windows in the pedestals are for water overflow if the river runs high.) Between 1881 and 1912, Arta was the northern edge of independent Greece; the high point of the bridge marked the border with the Ottoman Empire.

The bridge has been rebuilt numerous times, probably since the Roman era. A Byzantine folk song tells of an architect's wife interred in the foundations in order to break a curse that caused it to crumble – a theme echoed in other Balkan folk tales.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Epiros attractions

1. Folklore Museum

0.05 MILES

Set in the former tollhouse of Arta's old bridge, this little museum has a small collection of traditional costumes and tools from the area. It's a nice…

2. Archaeological Museum

0.3 MILES

This museum is a gem: a fine collection, clearly presented, in a manageable space that's seldom busy. It focuses primarily on the ancient city of Ambracia…

4. Castle of Arta

1.12 MILES

Arta's 13th-century walls, erected 10m high by the Byzantine despotate atop ruins of ancient Ambracia, stand on the north side of town. They're perhaps…

5. Nikopolis

16.24 MILES

The ruins of Nikopolis, built in 28 BC by Octavian (later Augustus), after he defeated Mark Antony and Cleopatra in the naval Battle of Actium (Aktion),…

6. Archaeological Museum of Nikopolis

16.75 MILES

This modern museum brims with the treasures of Nikopolis: Roman marble statuary, mosaics from Byzantine churches and more. Abundant English-language…

7. Nekromanteion of Acheron

24.38 MILES

This ancient complex is small but comes with a gripping backstory. According to Homer and Herodotus, it was a place to consult with an oracle …

8. Fortress of Agia Mavra

25.25 MILES

Guarding Lefkada at the start of the causeway, 1.4km from town, the Agia Mavra fortress was constructed in the 14th century and later expanded by the…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "greece/arta/attractions/old-bridge/a/poi-sig/1517186/1340533",
      "destination": "Epiros",
      "continent": "Europe",
      "country": "Greece",
      "region": "Epiros",
      "position": "superzone"
    }