roman bridge en
DESCRIPTION
Roman brigde in Patras/Achaia, ENTRANSCRIPT
Roman bridge (New National Highway & Aretha Street)
It was built at the 2nd -3rd c. A.D. on Kallinaos river whose banks are now located at about 100 meters southern of the original location. It was c. 21 meters long and c. 4 meters high.
There is an older one-arch-bridge dated at about the 1st c. A.D., which is smaller, made of “porolithoi”. There are also built up walls along the banks as also the river bed paved with slabs and fragments from older buildings.
Recent excavations (2001) revealed the old bed of the river, right under the bridge. It was also made clear, that the bed of the river was aligned in a straight way to reach “Kavouri” beach, in Agyia, which also was the mouth of the river in prehistoric times.
Roman bridge - excavation
The older, one-arch-bridge
Arch (detail)
Two-arch-bridge, the latest.
There was a roman road passing over the bridge, connecting Patras to Aigio. It is paved with flagstones. Marks of the ancient carriages are still visible.
Closer view of the built up wall along the banks of the river
Roman road (G. Roufou Street)
Stone-paved roman road, 288 Korinthou str.
Roman roads having Patras as starting point
Patras’ famous modern bridge was not built to span the banks of a river but crossing the sea
gulf joined north and south mainland Greece
(In use since August 2004)