Euripus Bridge

The ancient bridge, located in the heart of Chalcis, built more than 2.5 thousand years ago, is one of the most famous sights of the city.

According to the documents, found by the scientists, the bridge did not exist in the 8th century BC, but in the 5th century BC, the bridge was mentioned in the works of Diodorus Silekiotis. 

That time the strait was wider than today, for the building of the bridge the workers used 2 towers, installed in the water. They were used as the bearings of the suspension bridge. The ships could easily cross the strait because the bridge could be pulled up on the specific ropes. 

Later the bridge was reconstructed and rebuilt, and the width between the towers was reduced to such a point, that just one ship could pass there, while the embankment of the bridge was not pulled up, but folded. That time the prisoners should work underwater, they plunged to the depth of 6 meters and a half, and built there the bearings for the bridges. In the old documents, their work was mentioned as “self-denying” and “efficient”. That saved the Chalcidians after leaving the African Union, they were afraid of the marine blockade, that is why they invented the bridge. 

For the last time, the bridge was under restoration in 1963. Now it is the iron construction with wooden floors and the coverings of asphalt, which was moving apart during the ships coming with the help of a unique mechanism.

It is interesting that under the bridge is the place of 2 seas’ merging, the water there has different shades, and its flow changes every 6 hours. The visitors cannot cross the bridge today, it is open just for the transport. But staying on the shore you still can see the water boundary. It is a mysterious and attractive view.