Kamara Bridge
Kamara Bridge | |
|---|---|
,_Elbasan_(4).jpg) Kamara Bridge over the Shkumbin River | |
| Coordinates | 41°10′14.9628″N 20°15′41.6502″E / 41.170823000°N 20.261569500°E |
| Carries | pedestrian (historically caravan route) |
| Crosses | Shkumbin |
| Locale | Mirakë, Librazhd, Elbasan County, Albania |
| Heritage status | Cultural Monument of Albania (Category I, 1963) |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | asymmetrical stone arch bridge |
| Material | Stone |
| Total length | 40 m |
| Width | 3.5 m |
| Longest span | 23 m |
| No. of spans | 3 |
| History | |
| Construction start | c. 1714 |
| Location | |
 | |
Kamara Bridge (Albanian: Ura e Kamares) is an Ottoman stone arch bridge over the Shkumbin in Mirakë, Librazhd municipality, Elbasan County, Albania. It was declared a Cultural Monument of Albania (Category I) in 1963.[1] It is asymmetrical, built on three grey stone arches, with boat-shaped drainage openings; total length is 40 m, width 3.5 m, and the main span 23 m.[2] The arches are built of the same white-grey stone characteristic of nearby Mount Murrash.[3] Its location above the Shkumbin made it a key strategic crossing on the ancient Via Egnatia trade route.[4] It serves as one of the principal historical sites in the region, attracting domestic and international tourists.[3][4]
History
[edit].jpg)
Kamara Bridge dates to around 1714 and underwent Ottoman-period reconstruction.[1] It formed a strategic point on the ancient Via Egnatia caravan route from Elbasan, via the Haxhi Beqari Bridge, to Korçë, North Macedonia, Greece, and Istanbul, with a secondary branch toward Dibër via Klenjë and Zerqan.[1][4] A stone plaque in one arch reads:[5]
Shpirti i qoftë gëzuar Ahmetit, nga Elbasani. Kush kalon këtej të japë një lutje mirëbërësit të urës. May Ahmeti of Elbasan have a joyful soul. Whoever crosses here, offer a prayer to the benefactor of this bridge.
Conservation
[edit]A 2017 engineering study reports foundation damage on the rock-supported arch, attributed to seismic events (up to magnitude 8), material aging, and limited maintenance, with the last reinforcement in 1930 by the Society for the Economic Development of Albania (SVEA).[6] In June 2018, specialists from the National Institute of Cultural Heritage conducted an on-site survey to document conservation issues and prepare a restoration plan.[3] Despite this, no major maintenance occurred thereafter, leading to further calls for restoration in 2021.[7] The National Council of Restorations, on the National Institute of Cultural Heritage's proposal, approved a protected zone around the bridge to preserve both the structure and its surrounding landscape.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Kamaras medieval bridge as one of the most important monuments". Euronews Albania. 9 March 2024. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
- ^ "Ura e Kamarës". Fjalori Enciklopedik Shqiptar (in Albanian). Tiranë: Akademia e Shkencave e RPSH. 1985.
- ^ a b c Alla, Adela (3 June 2018). "FOTO/ Ura e Kamarës, bukuria mesjetare e Elbasanit". Agjencia Telegrafike Shqiptare (in Albanian). Retrieved 9 June 2025.
- ^ a b c OraNews (8 March 2024). "Ura mesjetare e Kamarës, një nga monumentet më të rëndësishme historike dhe arkitekturore" (in Albanian). Retrieved 9 June 2025.
- ^ "Ura mesjetare e Kamarës, simbol i Via Egnatia". Orientalizmi Shqiptar. 21 February 2014. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
- ^ Gega, Mirva; Bozo, Luljeta (2017). "Analysis of bridge foundation damage in Albania". Procedia Engineering. 189: 275–282. doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2017.05.045 – via Elsevier Science Direct.
- ^ Top Channel (27 July 2021). "Ura 300-vjeçare/Ende funksionon Ura e Kamares në Elbasan, monument kulture, por pa asnjë përkujdesje" (in Albanian). Retrieved 9 June 2025.