The Mazi Bridge of Stepanakert

Historical overview

Information about the Mazi Bridge in Stepanakert is quite limited. For example, Bishop Makar Barkhudaryants mentions the rivers of Artsakh:

"The Gargar River, which forms the boundary between the Khachen and Varandai provinces, is fed by five main tributaries. These include: A, the Gargar itself, flowing from the northern and southern slopes of the Czarist Mountains in the Kirs Range, running through a deep gorge to the northwest of Shushi. B, another tributary originating on the northern Armenian slopes of the Kirs Range, cuts through cliffs along Shushi's southeastern edge. These two tributaries merge at the foot of the Maz Bridge" (Barkhudaryants 1895, 6).

Karapetyan further details the Mazi Bridge:

"It is situated on the left tributary of the Karkar River, on the southwestern edge of Stepanakert, the capital of the Republic of Artsakh. The bridge is a single-span structure built of rough stone and lime mortar, with hewn stone forming the corners of its arch. According to an inscription carved into the keystone of the hewn-stone arch facing the river, it was constructed in 1825 by the Armenian Grand Duke of Tvin" (Karapetyan 2009, 100).

Architectural-compositional examination

The bridge is a single-span structure constructed of rough stone and lime mortar. The cornerstones of the supporting arch are made of dressed stone. The span is 4.13 meters, and the passage's width is 7.68 meters (Karapetyan 2009, 100).