Turkey and Armenia finalize tender to rebuild historic Ani Bridge
Turkey's transport minister said the tender for restoring the 10th-century Ani Bridge on the Turkey-Armenia border has been completed, moving the joint reconstruction forward.
Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu confirmed that the contract for the historic Ani Bridge reconstruction was awarded after the tender closed on September 28. The bridge, originally 80 metres long and 8 metres wide, once spanned the narrowest point of the Arpaçay River and served as a key Silk Road crossing until its arch fell in 1807. Restoration will be carried out by a joint commission created under a May protocol signed in Yerevan and attended by Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz.
The work aims to preserve the bridge within the Ani archaeological complex, which was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2016. Turkey's General Directorate of Highways (KGM) will manage the construction, coordinating with Armenian officials. The project marks another step in the broader normalization of Turkey-Armenia relations.
Why it matters
Rebuilding the Ani Bridge symbolizes deepening Turkey-Armenia ties and safeguards a UNESCO heritage site.
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