20/11/2006
Bridge at Paterma

Nikolaos Th. Kokkas Source: C.E.T.I.

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The Paterma village is situated in the Rodopi prefecture, 195 m in altitude and 17 km away from Komotini. It had 111 inhabitants at the 2001 census. The bridge is located in the northwestern part of the village, at the Bayum Dere current. It is a two bowed bridge with a decking of 25.50 m in length and 3 m in width. At the decking’s sides there is a wall 40 cm in height. The big bow is 3.90 m in height and 7 m from the bottom of the current. The length is in 7.50 m. The small bow is 4.20 m in length and 3.50 m in height.
The bridge at Paterma connected Komotini with the mountainous villages of the Rodopi prefecture: Kardamo, Sarakini, Drania, Ardia and Organi. The ruins of Byzantine church dated in between the 11th and the 13th century are located around the bridge. The church’s dimensions are 17.43 x 7.33 m. Traces of wall paintings were found at the church along with a small icon of steatite picturing St. Nikolaos. The church was abandoned and destroyed between the 15th and 17th century, when the population of the area was Islamized.
According to traditional narratives, two cows met while they were coming from the two opposite directions of the bridge. They bumped to each other and one of them fell into the river without drowning because of the big amount of waters.