Turkey has completed the tender for the restoration of the historic Ani Bridge on its border with Armenia.

Turkey has completed the tender for the restoration of the historic Ani Bridge on its border with Armenia.

A 10th-century Silk Road bridge spans the Arpaçay River, which forms the border between the two countries, at the UNESCO-listed Ani Archaeological Site in the province of Carres.

Originally about 80 meters long with one 31 meter arch, the bridge was once used as a customs barrier, but its arch collapsed in 1807, leaving only a pier on each bank.

Turkey and Armenia signed a protocol on reconstruction in Yerevan in May.

The project is seen as a concrete step that builds confidence in the normalization process launched in 2022, since the two countries still do not have diplomatic relations and their land border has been closed since 1993.