Abdal Bridge

The Abdal Bridge, which is one of the most valuable works of Bursa city in terms of history, is located in Osmangazi district today.

Abdal Bridge is a historic bridge located directly above Nilüfer Creek, close to Acemler District. The bridge, which is known to have taken three years in total, was built by a merchant named Abdal Çelebi at that time. This person is known as a disciple of a cleric named Niyazi-i Misri. The Abdal Bridge, whose construction was started in 1666, consists of pointed arches and stone structures called küfeki(limestone).

In 1978, the bridge underwent a very extensive repair process. Repairs are carried out entirely by Ministry of Highways. After this restoration, it is completely closed to vehicle traffic in order to prevent damage. Triangular prism shields and support walls stand out at their feet. The information registered in Bursa Yearbook is referred as reference. According to the information here, the bridge is designed with 12 eyes. Two extreme sides of the historic structure remain under the ground. The Abdal Bridge has a total length of 65 meters and a width of 4.70 meters.

There is no original inscription on the bridge belonging to the construction process. This place is sometimes referred by the local people as ‘Acemler Bridge’. By the way, it should be noted that the word Acem was formerly an adjective used for the Iranians in the Ottoman Empire.

Today, some of the bridge's eyes have disappeared. It is possible to observe the five exposed eyes in detail. The most important feature of Abdal Bridge is that it has been able to maintain its original structure significantly compared to other bridges in Bursa. There are very few historical bridges that can achieve this in the city. There are two separate guard points on the bridge today. The open sentry point is supported by cornices from the lower part. The mihrab niche and the fender piles attract attention in the north facing section of Abdal Bridge. In 2008, in the context of the Nilüfer Valley Project, the stream bed belonging to the bridge is re-arranged.