page_title: Trajan's Bridge
section_title: Destruction and remains
hierarchical_section_title: Trajan's Bridge / Destruction and remains
caption_attribution_description: Remains of the Trajan's Bridge on the right bank of Danube, Serbia
context_page_description: Trajan's Bridge, also called Bridge of Apollodorus over the Danube, was a Roman segmental arch bridge, the first bridge to be built over the lower Danube and one of the greatest achievements in Roman architecture. Though it was only functional for 165 years, it is often considered to be the longest arch bridge in both total and span length for more than 1,000 years.
  The bridge was constructed in 105 AD by instruction of Emperor Trajan by Greek architect Apollodorus of Damascus before his Second Dacian War to allow Roman troops to cross the river.
context_section_description: The wooden superstructure of the bridge was dismantled by Trajan's successor, Hadrian, presumably in order to protect the empire from barbarian invasions from the north. The superstructure was destroyed by fire.
  The remains of the bridge reappeared in 1858 when the level of the Danube hit a record low due to the extensive drought. The twenty pillars were still visible. 
  In 1906, the Commission of the Danube decided to destroy two of the pillars that were obstructing navigation. 
  In 1932, there were 16 pillars remaining underwater, but in 1982 only 12 were mapped by archaeologists; the other four had probably been swept away by water. Only the entrance pillars are now visible on either bank of the Danube, one in Romania and one in Serbia.
  In 1979, Trajan's Bridge was added to the Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance, and in 1983 on Archaeological Sites of Exceptional Importance list, and by that it is protected by the Republic of Serbia.
caption: Remains of the Trajan's Bridge on the right bank of Danube, Serbia.
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