The tender to restore the historic Ani Bridge, a 10th-century Silk Road crossing over the Arpaçay River on the border between Türkiye and Armenia, has been completed, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced on Sunday, according to the İhlas News Agency (İHA).
The General Directorate of Highways (KGM), the state highways agency, held the restoration tender on 16 September 2026, and the contract was signed on 28 September, the minister said. "We held the restoration tender for the historic Ani Bridge on 16 September," he was quoted as saying.
A Silk Road customs gate
The bridge lies within the Ani archaeological site in Kars province, in north-eastern Türkiye, where the Arpaçay River forms the border with Armenia. According to the minister, it was built in the 10th century as a customs gate on the Silk Road. The original structure was 80 metres long and 8 metres wide.
The river is 36 metres wide at its narrowest point, where the bridge stood. Its 31-metre circular arch collapsed on 16 October 1807, and today only the bridge’s piers survive.
The Ani ancient city, with 21 cultural assets, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2016.
Joint commission with Armenia
Because the bridge sits on the border, the project involves both countries. A protocol setting out the scope and method of the work was signed in the Armenian capital Yerevan on 4 May 2026, in the presence of Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz. A joint commission, including the ministry and KGM, will oversee the process.
Uraloğlu said the aim is to preserve the bridge as part of the Silk Road’s shared heritage and pass it on to future generations. The report described the work as both a restoration and a reconstruction.
The minister’s statement did not name the contractor or give a cost or timetable for the work. It also did not say whether the restored bridge would be used as a crossing between the two countries or remain a heritage structure only.
Heritage projects across Türkiye
The announcement adds to a busy period for Türkiye’s heritage sites. In Istanbul, five new museums opened in the former mint at Topkapı Palace this week, while visitors planning trips next year should note the new museum and archaeological site entry fees for 2027.
For those thinking about a longer stay in the country, our checklist for moving to Turkey covers residence permits, registration and other first steps.
Sources
Photo: Doga Dogan / Unsplash License, via Unsplash
