# Mesi Bridge
> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mesi_Bridge
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mesi_Bridge.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesi_Bridge
> Source revision: 1338026971
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox bridge
| bridge_name = Mesi Bridge
| native_name = ''Ura e Mesit''
| native_name_lang = sq
| image = Ura e Mesiit.jpg
| image_size = 250px
| alt = Mes Bridge
| caption =
| official_name = Mes Bridge
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| carries =
| crosses = [Kir River](/source/Kir_River)
| locale = [Mes](/source/Mes%2C_Albania), [Albania](/source/Albania)
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| length = {{convert|108|m|ft|abbr=on}}
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| complete = 1770
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| coordinates = {{coord|42.1144|19.5749|display=inline,title}}
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}}
'''Mesi Bridge''' ({{langx|sq|Ura e Mesit}}, {{Lit|The bridge in the middle}})[{{Cite book|last=Gloyer|first=Gillian|year=2008|title=Albania|edition=third|publisher=Bradt Travel Guides|location=Chalfont St Peter, Buckinghamshire, England|page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=K_trOWbGcbkC&pg=PA160 160]|isbn=978-1-84162-246-0}}] is a [bridge](/source/bridge) in the village of [Mes](/source/Mes%2C_Albania),[There are numerous bridges in Albania named ''Ura e Mesit'' which simply means that they were between towns/villages.{{harvnb|Gloyer|2008|page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=K_trOWbGcbkC&pg=PA160 160]}} However, in this case there is a village named "Mes" on the west bank of the Kir, next to the bridge.{{GEOnet2|32FA884CD66B3774E0440003BA962ED3|Mes (Approved)}}, [United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency](/source/National_Geospatial-Intelligence_Agency)] about {{convert|5|km|miles|abbr=on}} northeast of [Shkodër](/source/Shkod%C3%ABr), in northwestern [Albania](/source/Albania). It is a monument of [Postribë](/source/Postrib%C3%AB) culture, turning the site into a tourist attraction with a lot of visitors from all around the world. For foreigners the architecture of the bridge is intriguing with round slick stones and stone plates. The surrounding panorama gives the bridge an even more picturesque view. The Albanian Development Fund invested 13 million [ALL](/source/Albanian_lek)[Albanian currency] so the tourists could step on the bridge and watch it closely because there was no entry way to the bridge.
It was built in the 18th century, around 1770, by [Kara Mahmud Bushati](/source/Kara_Mahmud_Bushati), the local [Ottoman](/source/Ottoman_Empire) [pasha](/source/pasha),[{{Cite web|url=http://archaeology.about.com/od/albania/ig/Albania-Archaeology-in-Photos/Ottoman-Bridge--Mes--Albania.htm |title=Archaeology of Albania: Ottoman Bridge, Mes, Albania}}] The building was divided in 2 phases. In 1768, the first phase began with only the large middle arc and 3 smaller arches (specifically, one on the right and two on the left). Shortly after construction, it became clear that due to seasonal flooding, a much longer structure would be required. In 1770, the bridge was extended to its current length by adding the remaining arches, and adding a 14° bend near the main arch to follow the rock formations in the riverbed for better stability.[{{Cite web |date=2026-01-01 |title=Mesi Bridge - Shkodër Albania - History & Visitor Guide |url=https://couplestravelstories.ca/mesi-bridge/ |access-date=2026-02-12 |language=en-US}}]
The purpose was to connect the city of [Shkodër](/source/Shkod%C3%ABr) with the city of [Drisht](/source/Drisht) and other cities of the northern side. It is {{convert|108|m||abbr=on}} long, {{convert|3.4|m||abbr=on}} meters wide, {{convert|12.5|m||abbr=on}} meters high with 13 arches, and is one of the longest examples of an Ottoman bridge in the region.[{{Cite web|date=1 June 2012|title=June 1, 2012 (Down and Dirty)|publisher=The Amateur Globetrotter's Guide to the Balkans: Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Corfu, Greece|url=http://theamateurglobetrotter.wordpress.com/2012/06/01/june-1-2012-down-and-dirty/}}] It was built as part of the road that goes up the [Kir Valley](/source/Kir_(river)), eventually to [Pristina](/source/Pristina).