BSY_FB_16-03

3

Djisr il Madjdal March 15, 1900

After leaving Ḥama about two and a half
hours to the north west, just south of a
small village called Mudjdal, we crossed
an ancient Roman bridge which has taken
its name from the neigbouring village.

The bridge crosses an arm of the Orontes
not very far from its junction with the larger
stream. The stream was at its full
height when we crossed it owing to
continued rains and we could see that
there is never sufficient water in the stream
to endanger the safety of the old bridge, while
all the ancient bridges over the Orontes
have long since been swept away.

The bridge is preserved in its ancient
form almost entire, four large round
arches of equal dimentions, spanning about
six metres, are in place, only the solid
approaches at either end seem to have
been repaired in Saracenic masonry.