THE BRIDGE OF ARTA
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The Bridge of Arta is a stone bridge that crosses the Arachtos river in the west of the city of Arta in Greece. It has been rebuilt many times over the centuries, starting with Roman or perhaps older foundations; the current bridge is probably a 17th-century Ottoman construction. From the annexation of Arta in 1881 to the outbreak of the First Balkan war in 1912, the highest point of the bridge was the border between the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Greece.
According to the folk ballad "The Bridge of Arta", 45 masons and 60 apprentices, under the leadership of Head Builder, were building a bridge, but its foundations would collapse each night: "All day they were building it, and in the night it would collapse". Finally a bird with a human voice informed the head Builder that, in order for the bridge to remain standing, he sould sacrifice his wife. As she is being buried alive in the foundations of the construction, she curses the bridge to flutter like a leaf, and those who pass it to fall like leaves also. She is then reminded that her brother is abroad and might pass the bridge himself, so she changes her curses so as to become actual blessings: "As the tall mountains tremble, so shall the bridge tremble, and as the birds of the prey fall, so shall passers fall".
Apart
from the physical connection of the river, this Bridge is also what
connects Arta with its historical past, its living present and
hopefully its future. For 2000 years, this achievement of engineering
is standing as symbol of resistance against the water of the river,
the occupation powers (Turks, Germans), but also resistance against
the Greek bureaucracy, that during the 1930’s, recommended the
demolition of the Bridge, as it was no longer considered to be
operational. This legend of the Bridge of Arta and the song of this
tragic female figure is what made this construction known around the
world. This Bridge has always been at the epicentre of artistic
production.
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