The works for the restoration of the iconic Plaka bridge in Epirus are expected to start in the summer, according to the committee responsible for the restoration of the historic bridge following a meeting with Culture Minister Lydia Koniordou in Athens, ANA reports.
The bridge, which was one of the most spectacular examples of Greek popular architecture, collapsed on 1 February 2015. A flash flood caused the Arachthos River to rip the bridge’s foundations from the riverbanks, leading to the collapse of the central section of the bridge, which was then washed away.
Plaka Bridge was a one-arch stone bridge constructed in 1866. It is located at the borders of Arta and Ioannina prefectures. Its arch was 40 metres (130 ft) wide and 17.61 m high, making it the largest one-arch bridge in Greece and the Balkans and the third largest one-arch stone bridge in Europe. It also had two smaller, auxiliary arches 6 metres (20 ft) wide on either side of the central arch. It was considered “one of the most difficult, single-arch bridges to construct”.
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