Kharaba Bridge

The Kharaba Bridge is a Roman bridge in the village of Kharaba in the fertile Hauran region of Syria, close to the city of Bosra (ancient Bostra).

Kharaba Bridge
Coordinates32°33′04″N 36°26′00″E
CrossesWadi Zeidi
LocaleClose to Bosra, Syria
Characteristics
DesignArch bridge
MaterialBasalt blocks
Width4.52 m
Longest span3.8 m
No. of spans3
Location

The bridge crosses the Wadi Zeidi, a tributary of the Yarmuk, 3.5 km northwest of Bosra.[1] It has three semi-circular arches, each 3.8 m clear, that rest on 2.4 m wide piers with a height of 2.5 m to the springing level.[1] The bridge width is 4.52 m.[2] At the eastern side exists a small squarish floodway which is supported by a column with capital.[3] The vaults and the covering are predominantly built with black greenish basalt ashlar; overall, the ancient structure is still in a fairly good condition.[3]

There are at least two more Roman bridges crossing the Wadi Zeidi: the Gemarrin Bridge and one at At-Tayyibeh.[4]

See also

References
  1. O’Connor 1993, p. 131
  2. Kissel & Stoll 2000, p. 115
  3. Kissel & Stoll 2000, p. 117, Fig. 12
  4. Kissel & Stoll 2000, p. 110, Fig. 1b

Sources
  • Kissel, Theodor; Stoll, Oliver (2000), "Die Brücke bei Nimreh. Ein Zeugnis römischer Verkehrspolitik im Hauran, Syrien", Antike Welt, 31 (2), pp. 109–125
  • O’Connor, Colin (1993), Roman Bridges, Cambridge University Press, p. 131, ISBN 0-521-39326-4
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