Çobandede Bridge
Çobandede Bridge (, also called Çoban Bridge) is a historical bridge in Erzurum Province of Turkey. Location. The bridge is at to the east of Köprüköy ilçe (district) of Erzurum Province. Köprüköy, literally "bridge Ville" is named after the bridge. The bridge is situated at the point where two tributaries of the Aras River meet. It is on the road from Erzurum to Muş. Currently, Çobandede Bridge is out of service and the Turkish state highway is over a parallel bridge about east of Çobandede Bridge. History. In 1865 a priest, Archimandrite Timeteos, copied an inscription, in Armenian that  was on the bridge. It read "this bridge, founded by the Armenians, was repaired by the Magistros under the auspices of the monastery of Sourb Astvatzatzin and the castle of Darun in the year 609" (609 is equivalent to the year 1160). In 1904, Kajberuny saw this inscription, and two others in Arabic, saying that they were located above the arches on the eastern side of the bridge. Neither the Armenian inscription nor the two Arabic inscriptions currently survive on the bridge. A fourth inscription, not seen by Kajberuny, in Arabic, still survives but in a worn and damaged condition . It is located on the bridge's parapet. About the "Magistros" mentioned in the inscription, Kortoshian writes that it may be the family title used by descendants of Grigor Magistros. He was buried in Sourb Astvatzatzin monastery close to nearby Pasinler (Hasankale); Darun (Daroynk) has been identified as either Hasankale or Dogubayazit. Turkish researchers write it was constructed during the Mongol occupation of Anatolia towards the end of the 13th century. There are eight chambers in the abutments.