Malan Bridge
Malan Bridge, also called Pul-i-Malan (Dari: پل مالان), is a two-lane arched bridge over the Hari River, connecting Injil District with Guzara District, both in Afghanistan.[2][3] It was built around 1110 AD. The bridge is located 12 km (7.5 mi) south of Herat's old city and downstream or west from Pul-i Pushtu. It is currently made up of 22 arches and has survived several floods that have washed away other bridges crossing the Hari.[4][5][6] It is 230 m (750 ft) long, 8 m (26 ft) wide, and 10 m (33 ft) high.[7]
Malan Bridge پل مالان | |
|---|---|
 Malan Bridge in 1975 | |
| Coordinates | 34°17′10.4″N 62°11′28.8″E[1] |
| Crosses | Hari River |
| Locale | Herat |
| Other name(s) | Pul-i Malan |
| Preceded by | Pul-i Pushtu |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Arch bridge |
| Material | Concrete, baked bricks |
| Total length | 230 m (750 ft) |
| Width | 8 m (26 ft) |
| Height | 10 m (33 ft) |
| History | |
| Opened | 1110–1112 |
| Rebuilt | 1995 |
| Location | |
History
A common legend about its creation says the mythical princesses Bibi Nur and Bibi Hur built the bridge around AD 900.[4][5][6] They were followers of Zoroastrianism. The sisters had poultry, so they mixed egg shells with clay and, with much effort, constructed the bridge stronger than steel.[4][5][6]
The bridge was built during the reign of Seljuk Sultan Ahmad Sanjar in 1110–1112 AD.[5][6] The Mughal emperor Babur included it in his visit to the city in 1506.[4] A tourist, Alexander Hamilton wrote that the bridge had 17 arches in the late 19th century; the bridge currently has 22.[6] The bridge was also reported to be neglected and falling into decay in the late 19th century.[8] By 1972, part of the bridge had been washed out and was impassable.[3]
A modern bridge was built upstream in 1961–62 (SH 1340). Prior to that construction, Pul-i Malan was the only bridge connecting Herat and Kandahar and was considered important because of that.[2][7] The bridge was partially destroyed during the Soviet–Afghan War, with two guard towers crumbled and 5 arches demolished. The Danish Committee for Aid to Afghan Refugees rebuilt the bridge using concrete and baked bricks, strengthening the foundation and roadway in the process. The bridge reopened for crossing in 1995.[5][6]
References
- "Pul-i Malan (Herat)". Structurae. Archived from the original on 20 April 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
- "«مالان» پلی 900 ساله در هرات - FarsNews Agency". af.farsnews.ir (in Persian). 16 December 2017. Archived from the original on 13 May 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
- Bordewich, Fergus M. (14 May 1972). "The Center of an Ancient Trade Route, Herat Lives in the Ruins of Its Past". New York Times.
- Dupree, Nancy Hatch (1977). Historical guide to Afghanistan (PDF). University of Arizona Libraries. doi:10.2458/azu_acku_ds351_d87_1977. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 September 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
- Tirard-Collet, Olivier (1998). "After the War. The Condition of Historical Buildings and Monuments in Herat, Afghanistan". Iran. 36: 123–138. doi:10.2307/4299980. ISSN 0578-6967. JSTOR 4299980. Archived from the original on 23 August 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
- اویس توخیروزنامه نگار در هرات (18 June 2008). "BBCPersian.com | فرهنگ و هنر | سرگذشت شگفت انگیز پل تاریخی مالان در هرات". www.bbc.com (in Persian). Archived from the original on 20 August 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
- "بازسازی پل تاریخی". آوا پرس | اخبار لحظه ای افغانستان (in Persian). 2 July 2009. Archived from the original on 24 August 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
- Goldsmid, F. J. (31 January 1985). "On journeys between Herat and Khiva: lecture, Friday, January 31, 1875". Journal of the Royal United Service Institution. JSTOR 60234476. Archived from the original on 24 August 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
External links
