Lost Historical Bridges of Malatya: Kırkgöz and Deir Massiah

Enver Çakar; Korkmaz Şen; Yavuz Kısa; Tuba Nur Olğun; Murat Şahin; Ahmet Toprak

Article Details

Lost Historical Bridges of Malatya: Kırkgöz and Deir Massiah

Authors:

Enver Çakar | Korkmaz Şen | Yavuz Kısa | Tuba Nur Olğun | Murat Şahin | Ahmet Toprak

Publisher:

Istanbul University

Main Topics:

Görsel Sanatlar (Diğer)

Journal:

Art-Sanat Issue 24, pp.181-205

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

12/2025

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001356341

pISSN:

2148-3582

Keywords:

Abstract:

 Malatya, which is located at the intersection point of the roads reaching from Mesopotamia to the interior of Anatolia and the Black Sea, lies in a geography rich in water resources. The Tohma Stream, which originates in Uzunyayla, reaches Malatya by incorporating the water of Gürün, and from there flows into the Euphrates River. Other waters, especially Sultansuyu and Derme Creek Deir Massiah in Malatya, also flow into the Tohma Stream. Large and small bridges were built during and before the Ottoman period to provide transportation over these waters, which played an important role in the development of Malatya agriculture. The most important of these is the Kırkgöz Bridge, which provides transportation between Sivas-Malatya-Diyarbakır and Malatya-Erzincan-Erzurum. The Deir Massiah Bridge is also one of the important historical bridges of the city. However, none of these bridges has survived to this day. The aim of this study is to reveal the importance of Kırkgöz Bridge, which is located on historical transport networks, and the Deir Massiah Bridge, which also served as an aqueduct, in terms of architecture, transport and economic history. The main sources of the study are Ottoman archive documents, Ottoman yearbooks, travelogues, periodicals and research and studies on the subject.

 Malatya, which is located at the intersection point of the roads reaching from Mesopotamia to the interior of Anatolia and the Black Sea, lies in a geography rich in water resources. The Tohma Stream, which originates in Uzunyayla, reaches Malatya by incorporating the water of Gürün, and from there flows into the Euphrates River. Other waters, especially Sultansuyu and Derme Creek Deir Massiah in Malatya, also flow into the Tohma Stream. Large and small bridges were built during and before the Ottoman period to provide transportation over these waters, which played an important role in the development of Malatya agriculture. The most important of these is the Kırkgöz Bridge, which provides transportation between Sivas-Malatya-Diyarbakır and Malatya-Erzincan-Erzurum. The Deir Massiah Bridge is also one of the important historical bridges of the city. However, none of these bridges has survived to this day. The aim of this study is to reveal the importance of Kırkgöz Bridge, which is located on historical transport networks, and the Deir Massiah Bridge, which also served as an aqueduct, in terms of architecture, transport and economic history. The main sources of the study are Ottoman archive documents, Ottoman yearbooks, travelogues, periodicals and research and studies on the subject.

 Malatya, which is located at the intersection point of the roads reaching from Mesopotamia to the interior of Anatolia and the Black Sea, lies in a geography rich in water resources. The Tohma Stream, which originates in Uzunyayla, reaches Malatya by incorporating the water of Gürün, and from there flows into the Euphrates River. Other waters, especially Sultansuyu and Derme Creek Deir Massiah in Malatya, also flow into the Tohma Stream. Large and small bridges were built during and before the Ottoman period to provide transportation over these waters, which played an important role in the development of Malatya agriculture. The most important of these is the Kırkgöz Bridge, which provides transportation between Sivas-Malatya-Diyarbakır and Malatya-Erzincan-Erzurum. The Deir Massiah Bridge is also one of the important historical bridges of the city. However, none of these bridges has survived to this day. The aim of this study is to reveal the importance of Kırkgöz Bridge, which is located on historical transport networks, and the Deir Massiah Bridge, which also served as an aqueduct, in terms of architecture, transport and economic history. The main sources of the study are Ottoman archive documents, Ottoman yearbooks, travelogues, periodicals and research and studies on the subject.

 Mezopotamyadan Anadolu içlerine ve Karadenize ulaşan yolların kesişme noktasında yer alan Malatya, su kaynakları bakımından da zengin bir coğrafyada bulunmaktadır. Uzunyayladan doğan Tohma Çayı, Gürün suyunu da bünyesine alarak Malatyaya ulaşmakta ve buradan da Fırat Nehrine karışmaktadır. Yine Malatyadaki Sultansuyu ve Derme Deresi Deyr-i Mesih başta olmak üzere, başka sular da Tohma Çayına akmaktadır. Malatya tarımının gelişmesinde önemli rol oynayan bu sular üzerinde ulaşımı sağlamak için Osmanlı Döneminde ve öncesinde irili ufaklı köprüler inşa edilmiştir. Bunlar içinde en önemlisi de Sivas-Malatya-Diyarbakır ve Malatya-Erzincan-Erzurum arasındaki ulaşımı sağlayan Kırkgöz Köprüsüdür. Yine Deyr-i Mesih Köprüsü de şehrin önemli tarihi köprülerinden biridir. Fakat bunların hiçbiri günümüze ulaşmamıştır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, tarihî ulaşım ağları üzerinde yer alan Kırkgöz Köprüsü ile bir su kemeri olarak da vazife gören Deyr-i Mesih Köprüsünün mimarlık, ulaşım ve iktisat tarihi açısından önemlerini ortaya koymaktır. Çalışmanın başlıca kaynakları ise Osmanlı arşiv belgeleri, salnameler, seyahatnameler, süreli yayınlar ve konu ile ilgili araştırma ve incelemelerdir.

Article Details

Lost Historical Bridges of Malatya: Kırkgöz and Deir Massiah

Authors:

Enver Çakar | Korkmaz Şen | Yavuz Kısa | Tuba Nur Olğun | Murat Şahin | Ahmet Toprak

Publisher:

Istanbul University

Main Topics:

Görsel Sanatlar (Diğer)

Journal:

Art-Sanat Issue 24, pp.181-205

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

12/2025

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001356341

pISSN:

2148-3582

Malatya

Kırkgöz Bridge

Deir Massiah Bridge

Tohma Stream

historical bridgesMalatya

Kırkgöz Köprüsü

Deyr-i Mesih Köprüsü

mimarlık tarihi

tarihî köprüler

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Enver Çakar | Korkmaz Şen | Yavuz Kısa | Tuba Nur Olğun | Murat Şahin | Ahmet Toprak

Publisher: Istanbul University

Main Topics: Görsel Sanatlar (Diğer)

Journal: Art-Sanat Issue 24, pp.181-205

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 12/2025

Document Language: English

Document ID (Org No.): 2001356341

pISSN: 2148-3582

Issues

Authors:

Enver Çakar | Korkmaz Şen | Yavuz Kısa | Tuba Nur Olğun | Murat Şahin | Ahmet Toprak

Publisher:

Istanbul University

Main Topics:

Görsel Sanatlar (Diğer)

Journal:

Art-Sanat Issue 24, pp.181-205

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

12/2025

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001356341

pISSN:

2148-3582