Cendere Bridge

The bridge is frequently called the Bridge of Septimius Severus - the Roman emperor, during whose reign (193-211 CE) the present structure was erected. Most probably, it replaced an earlier bridge, built during the reign of Emperor Vespasian, i.e. in the years 69-79 CE. Modern maps and signposts often refer to this bridge as Cendere Köprüsü, meaning the bridge over the river Cendere. Older sources refer to the structure as Chabinas Bridge. Both of these names - Cendere and Chabinas - derive from the river, above which the building stands - the Cendere Stream, a tributary of Kâtha River. The name Cendere is contemporary, while the ancient sources, including the inscriptions placed on the bridge itself, speak of the river Chabinas. There is also another Turkish name for this river - Bölam Su - which means the Divided Waters.