Pul-i Qadim (Dizful)

Dizful, Iran

The Pul-i Qadim or Old Bridge of Dizful, also known as Pul-i Andamish, is a bridge crossing the Ab-i Diz in the northern part of Khuzistan Province, Iran. It was initially constructed during the Sasanian period, possibly as early as the reign of Shapur I (r. 242-272 CE), but was repaired numerous times. The bridge as it stands today is the cumulative result of these renovations. The initial construction of the bridge was likely part of a larger campaign that the Sasanian emperors engineered to improve infrastructure in the alluvial plains around Susa through the construction of bridges, canals and weirs.1 

The bridge in its original state would have resembled the northwestern portion: a number of massive piers would have formed the bases for large structural arches supporting a roadway. In between these large arches, there may have been smaller, decorative archways. According to Hamdallah Mustawfi (fl. 14th/8th century AH), the bridge had 42 arches, and Ali of Yazd reports 28 large arches and 27 small (for a total of 55).2 In his 1909 survey of Khuzistan, Graadt van Roggen recorded 22 arches.3 At that time, he also recorded modern renovations to the bridge's piers, so it is unclear whether or not these 22 arches represented what he thought to be original construction or not.

The bridge functioned as both a roadway and a weir, raising the level of the Ab-i Diz. The weir was mostly gone by 1903 but Graadt van Roggen did record some remnants. Remnants of canals leading off the river above the bridge from both the left and right banks demonstrate that this weir enabled the irrigation of lands around Dizful.

Notes:

Sources: 

Lockhart, L., "Dizfūl." Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition, 2015. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1573-3912_islam_SIM_1885 [Accessed December 5, 2017].

Geonames URI: http://sws.geonames.org/8391718/