Historic Atatürk Bridge in Muğla reopens following restoration

MUĞLA

The Atatürk Bridge, a nearly century-old architectural landmark spanning the Dalaman Stream in southwestern Türkiye, has been fully restored and reopened to light vehicle traffic following a two-year restoration effort.

Commissioned in 1934 on the orders of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and constructed under the instruction of then-Prime Minister İsmet İnönü and Public Works Minister Ali Çetinkaya, the bridge was completed in 1935 by a workforce of 170 and built in the style of French architecture with arched stonework.

It served for decades as a critical connection on the Muğla-Antalya highway, linking the Aegean and Mediterranean regions.

Measuring 117 meters in length, 14 meters in height and 4 meters in width, the three-pier stone bridge has now undergone extensive structural reinforcement using carbon fiber technologies.

The project, initiated under the coordination of the Dalaman District Governor’s Office and conducted by Antalya’s regional highways authority, aimed to preserve the bridge’s historical integrity while ensuring its safe use.

Dalaman District Governor Mesut Yakuta said that due to signs of wear, the restoration was launched to both conserve and strengthen the structure. “After the restoration, the bridge was placed under protection,” he said.

“Barriers were installed to prevent the passage of heavy vehicles, and now only small vehicles are allowed to cross,” he added.

Informational signs and height restriction barriers have been mounted on both ends of the bridge to enforce the limitation.

Local resident Nevzat Doğan, who grew up near the bridge, expressed his happiness at its preservation. “I’m truly happy. I came here just to see it again. It felt like fate that I arrived on the day it reopened,” he said.