ReArk.org

One of the oldest surviving structures in Yerevan, the ‘Red Bridge’ was built in 1679 over Hrazdan river and linked the main city road from Ararat valley to the Yerevan castle. It was constructed to replace a much older bridge which collapsed after the 1679 earthquake. The length is 80 meters and the height, 11, built from tufa stone and red bricks, this is a typical structure representing late medieval Armenian architecture and its Islamic influences. The bridge was renovated in 1831 and 1851. Of particular value are the auxilliary structures next to bridge, which most likely served as a check-post.

According to a 2011 investigation conducted by Tsirani heritage preservation organisation, the current state of the building is alarming. The west side of the bridge has completely collapsed due to the leaks from the burst water pipes running accross the bridge. The water seeped through the stones in winter, froze and produced large structural cracks that are now threatening the entire structure. In addition, a large construction site on the other side of the bridge has blocked access to the monument. The surrounding area is covered in copious heaps of rubbish. The monument is marked as of national importance on the State Codex of Heritage Monuments, yet there has only been one failed attempt to restore it in the past thirty years. In addition, the bridge is left completely out of any guidbooks and tourist routes of Yerevan and remains little known or seen by either visitors or locals. Considering the extreme raririty of medieval monuments in Yerevan, the preservation, care and future functionality of the ‘Red Bridge’ requires urgent attention from the government.