Sarcheshmeh Bridge of Mordaq

Several seasonal and permanent rivers flow through the East Azarbaijan Province of Iran, each of which has its own beauty. Human life along these rivers has led to the creation of structures on them that once upon a time in order to connect villages and cities. However, most of the bridges built in the past centuries are now out of service and cannot be used for the large-scale transportation that modern life requires.

Sarcheshmeh Bridge of Mordaq is one of the strong bridges of East Azarbaijan Province, which has preserved its beauty and strength well over the centuries.

Where Is the Sarcheshmeh Bridge of Mordaq Located?

This bridge was built near the Mordaq Village of Maragheh County over a river named “Mordaq”. Maragheh has a special place in the history of Iran from political and scientific points of view. There are many historical monuments in this city, most of which are related to the Ilkhanate period when this city was the capital of Iran and the construction of some scientific centers, such as the Maragheh Observatory, had made it very famous among scientists and scholars of different countries. Of course, the sightseeing spots of Maragheh are not limited to historical monuments, and many natural attractions are also found there. These features have made Maragheh, with more than 500 tourist attractions, one of the most important cities in Iran in this regard. Maragheh County has a total area of more than 2200 square kilometers and a population of more than 350 thousand people.

Mordaq Village is located on the Maragheh-Hashtrud highway, about 10 kilometers from Hashtrud, and beyond another village called “Dash Atan”.

The people of Mordaq Village are generally farmers. The village is covered with orchards and apple is its main product. These orchards are usually without walls and fences and the trees in them, bearing plenty of fruits look spectacular. There is a protected area along the path leading to the village, that is of geological importance and many fossils are found in it. The neighboring village of Mordaq is called “Chakan”.

Mordaq River

The Mordaq River, which is called “Mordaq Chay”, “Mordi Chay” or “Mordu Chay” in the local dialect, originates from the heights of Mound Sahand and after flowing through a path of about 100 km, joins the Zarineh River and eventually pours into Lake Urmia. This river passes through Maragheh and Malekan counties and has created beautiful scenery all along.

Approximately, 107 million cubic meters of water flow in the Mordaq River every year the bed of which belongs to the third geological period; an issue that has increased the importance of the river from the viewpoint of geological and paleontological studies.

The Architecture and Features of the Sarcheshmeh Bridge of Mordaq Located

Several centuries after being constructed the structure of the Sarcheshmeh Bridge of Mordaq continues to stand strong. The bridge was built in the Safavid period (16th century AD), but traces of the architectural style of the Ilkhanate era (13th and 14th centuries AD) can also be seen in its construction.

The bridge had been built with the materials available locally and, therefore, the color of the bridge tends to be red. The stones used in the bridge were extracted from the Sanjan mine, which is located nearby.

The bridge has three spans, the middle one is larger than the other two spans. The structure of the bridge has a symmetrical shape and in order to control the water that flows in the form of flood, in case of heavy rains, two small arches have been built on both sides of the middle arch. This bridge is 42 meters long and 4.5 meters wide. The height of the bridge from the bottom of the river is 6.8 meters.

Even though the Sarcheshemeh Bridge of Mordaq was the main bridge connecting the people of Maragheh, Mianeh, and Hashtrud, this bridge is hardly used these days and it has become a tourist attraction.

Sarcheshemeh Bridge of Mordaq was inscribed on the list of Iran’s national heritage in the year 2003.

Located near the picturesque village of Mordaq, the historical Sarcheshmeh Bridge of Mordaq, in East Azerbaijan Province of Iran, which was built five centuries ago, still stands strong.