The world’s oldest bridge can be found on the beautiful Peloponnese Peninsula in southern Greece, a region celebrated as the mythical heartland of ancient Greek civilisation. Known for having legendary sites such as Olympia and Mycenae, the peninsula is also defined by rugged mountains, rolling olive groves, and breathtaking coastlines. Amid these stunning landscapes stands the Arkadiko Bridge, a remarkable stone crossing dating back to around 1300 BC, still in use more than 3,300 years later.
The bridge measures 72 feet long and 18.4 feet wide and is believed to have been constructed around 1330 BC during the Mycenaean era, making it the oldest arch bridge still in use today. It is believed by archaeologists to have been originally designed for horse-drawn chariots.
The bridge was part of a main military and trade route connecting the cities of Tiryns and Epidauros.
Constructed in a Cyclopean style typical of the Late Helladic period, the bridge is one of four Mycenaean corbel arch bridges near Arkadiko in Argolis that are all part of the same Bronze Age transportation system.
The Arkadiko Bridge was built using large, unworked stones stacked in a corbelled arch design, a building method typical of the Mycenaean era that required no mortar.
The combination of this technique and the immense weight of the stones has allowed the bridge to withstand the elements for thousands of years, remaining remarkably intact and still in use today.
The bridge’s roadway still features stone curbs, which were originally designed to keep the wheels of fast-moving chariots safely away from the edges.
One visitor wrote on TripAdvisor about the bridge: « After visiting the Temple of Asclepius at Epidaurus, we drove 15km west, following Google Maps and road signs that led to this Mycenaean-age bridge. Designed for chariots, it’s at least 3,000 years old and remarkable that it still remains. Loved the corbel arch. »
Someone else from Burscough said: « It is hard to believe that this well preserved, tiny little bridge is more than 3000 years old. One of the oldest arch bridges in existence and still in use today. Well signposted off the Nafplio to Epidavros road, there is limited parking nearby. Another treasure in an area already richly littered with ancient sites. »
Another TripAdvisor user described the experience as a « unique feeling, » highlighting the rare sense of walking across a bridge that has stood for over thousands of years. They wrote: « Four other similar bridges are preserved in the area. This particular one is the oldest surviving bridge in Europe and the oldest single-arched bridge that remains in use to this day.
« Faithful to the Cyclopean architecture of the Mycenaeans, it is made of large blocks. Its length is 22 meters, while it is 4 meters high and 5.6 meters wide. Access is very easy, since it is located right next to the modern asphalt road that leads to Nafplion.
« Also, feel free to walk on it, but also under its ancient arch. The feeling is unique, especially when you think about its age and the number of ancient sandals that have crossed it during its millennia of life! »
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