Renovation of Babol’s Mohammad Hassan Khan Bridge, path to growth in tourism
Mohammad Hassan Khan Bridge of Babol, Mazandaran Province, is an ancient structure dating back to the 18th century. It is situated over the beautiful Babolrud (river). It holds great historical significance as one of the remarkable bridges from the Qajar period, ISNA wrote.
This bridge has the largest communication route between the eastern and western parts of Babol.
It is located two kilometers away from the center of Babol, in the southern part of the city, surrounded by five neighborhoods.
In the early years of Karim Khan Zand’s reign, in the year 1734 CE, Mohammad Hassan Khan Qajar, the grandson of Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar, who had conquered the current city of Babol and other areas of Mazandaran and had emerged victorious in the war against Karim Khan Zand (1705 – 1779 CE), built this great bridge over the river which has remained to this day.
This bridge has seven main arches and two secondary arches, with a height of 11 meters from the riverbed. With a length of 140 meters and a width of six meters, it is considered one of the important bridges in the province in terms of economic and transportation issues.
Until 1964, Babol and Amol were connected through this bridge, but in this year a new road starting from the western side of the city was built.
However, heavy vehicles still pass through it, which has brought some criticism due to the damages that can be inflicted on this national monument.
Over the years, numerous actions have been taken to construct a replacement and remove this bridge from under the traffic load. Vehicle traffic on the bridge and road passage under the bridge has endangered this historical structure.
Deputy Head of the Province’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Organization Mohsen Bastani said that all light and heavy vehicles are prohibited from passing under the historic bridge of Mohammad Hassan Khan in Babol.
He added, to preserve this historical structure, a new alternative road should be constructed in this area so that this valuable work is not destroyed any further.
“We need to repair the damaged part of the bridge to prevent further deterioration and widening of the crack.”
Head of Babol’s Islamic City Council Mohammad Qorbannia said that planning and creating a tourism spot around the Mohammad Hassan Khan Bridge could be a great solution for its preservation and maintenance.
“By developing a comprehensive plan, we can revitalize the bridge area, making it a vibrant destination for tourists and locals alike,” he said.
He continued that planning and creating a leisure destination around Mohammad Hassan Khan Bridge could be a great solution for its preservation and maintenance.
“Only through solidarity and harmony between Babol’s City Council and the municipality can we achieve a great success in this regard,” he concluded.