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The Mycenaean bridge of Kazarma

One of the oldest bridges in the world

The Mycenaean bridge of Kazarma is located in Argolida, Peloponnese (Greece), on the road from Mycenae and Tiryns to Epidaurus. It is visible a few dozen metres north of the modern road. The bridge belonged in Mycenaean times to an important road between the two cities, which was part of a more extensive military road network.

Mycenaean expansion (Alexikoua, CC BY-SA 3.0, WikiCommons)

It has a depth of about 1 m and is built in the typical Mycenaean style of cyclopean stones. The structure is 22 metres long, 5.60 metres wide at the base and 4 metres high. The width of the road at the top is approximately 2.50 metres. The sophisticated arrangement of the bridge and the road indicates that they were built specifically for use by chariots. These bridges consisted of a vault of large cyclopean limestone blocks stacked without any binder, so characteristic of Mycenaean buildings that they can still be seen at Mycenae, Tiryns and other contemporary fortresses.

(by Flausa123, CC BY-SA 3.0 Wikimedia Commons)

Dating around 1500-1300 BCE, during the Mycenaean Bronze Age period, this incredible bridge is still in service and used today for local and agricultural traffic.

Thanks to its perfect and solid conditions, It is possible to admire one outstanding example of the oldest bridges known in Europe, possibly, in the entire world.

Ptolemy Team
Last updated on
January 18, 2023

Ptolemy Team

All our content is conceived and written by our editorial team, consisting of students and recent graduates in Cultural Heritage, Ancient and Medieval History, and Arts.