The bridge of Kolyu Ficheto on the river Yantra, town of Byala

Overview

The Kolyu Ficheto Bridge over the Yantra River or the Belene Bridge, as it is also known, is located 1 km from the town of Byala, Byala Municipality, Rousse District. It is 55 km southwest of the regional city of Ruse and approximately 259 km northeast of the capital Sofia. Built by the genius master Kolyu Ficheto, the bridge is considered an achievement of the Bulgarian Revival engineering, construction and architectural art. It is 276 m long and 9 m wide. Its 14 arches with an opening of 12 m are decorated with relief images of animals. It is supported by 13 supports with water cutters and relief niches, as well as two shore supports. The bridge is made of carved stone from local limestone and lime mortar. The idea for the construction of the bridge was given in 1865 at the insistence of the governor of the Danube vilayet at that time - Midhat Pasha. Legend has it that when Midhat Pasha decided that a bridge should be built over the Yantra River to connect Ruschuk / Ruse /, Tarnovo, Pleven and Sofia, someone told the Pasha that there was a self-taught master in Bulgaria, but which works both well and cheaply! Midhat Pasha summoned Master Kolyo Ficheto, and assigned him the task of the bridge. The master asked for two weeks for calculations. He returned to Tarnovo, bought wax candles from a church and started working. He heated the wax to the flame, then bent and glued the waxworks. So he made a model of a bridge with 14 arches, flat on top, not corrugated like the old Roman Kemer, with a simple but strong construction - just to the taste of the then Bulgarian. Finally, he personally stated in front of the pasture that the bridge would cost exactly 700,000 groschen. No more, no less! Shocked by Nikola Fichev's audacity and arrogance, Midhat Pasha asked him again if he was sure of his words. Then the famous answer is heard: "If, Pasha Effendi, I do not build the bridge to the town of Byala for 700,000 groschen and on my grater, take my head!" And Usta Kolyo not only fulfilled his word, but was richly rewarded by the Turkish government - with the Order of Medjidie. The bridge, whose construction began in 1865, was finally completed in 1867. Today the bridge of Kolyo Ficheto is preserved in its original form, its only reconstruction over the years was after a great flood in 1922-23, when it was fortified with steel supports.