Description of the attraction
The Beslet bridge as an important military-strategic facility was used in all likelihood in the 11th-12th centuries. This is evidenced not only by its architecture, but also by the results of the study of the inscription on the stone side edge of the bridge, made in the ancient Georgian language Asomtavruli, with the text of Christian content.
As historians investigating this region prove, an important transport route passed through the valley of the Besletka (Basla) river, connecting several valleys. Due to the mountainous nature of the local rivers, fording a large number of people and goods was very difficult or impossible during the period of snow melting in the mountains, so the only way out was to build a bridge.
The bridge over Besletka, or the Bridge of Queen Tamara, was erected according to all the canons of architectural art in the form of a stone single-span (that is, without a support) arch. It was made of local limestone stone, each vault slab was given a wedge-shaped shape, therefore, after removing the formwork, the central slabs were compressed among themselves the stronger, the greater the load was applied to them. The span itself is 13 meters long, and with coastal supports the entire length of the bridge reaches 35 meters. The surface of the roadway is raised above the water by almost 9 meters, which significantly reduces the slope of the road on both sides of the bridge, and the five-meter width made it possible to use it for two-lane traffic.
Despite eight centuries of its completely non-museum existence in harsh mountain conditions, the bridge still has a permitted carrying capacity of 8 tons. The secret of its longevity is not only in the art of the designers, but also in the skill of the builders, who were able to pick up stone material of sufficient strength. In addition, the stone in those days was placed on a lime mortar with the addition of egg white, which gave it colossal strength and durability.
