Black Bridge

The Black Bridge or Victory Bridge is a bridge with a railway line for trains and pedestrian routes which was constructed in 1929 in the city of Ahvaz. This bridge connects the railway port of Imam Khomeini, in the south of Khuzestan province and on the shores of the Persian Gulf, to the Khorramshahr-Tehran-North railway. Also, it is a national heritage site and one of the historical and tourist monuments of Ahvaz.

If you travel to Ahvaz and ask people about significant memories they have about their city, one of their memorials will definitely be the scene of crossing a train on a very specific bridge, which is called: “The Black Bridge”. Older people may mention sad and sometimes shocking stories about this bridge also. That is true because people have mixed feeling about this bridge, it got both sweet and dark memories behind itself.

History of the Black Bridge

But let’s see why this bridge plays a major role, not only in the history of Ahvaz city (called Naseri port in the Qajar era) but mainly in the history of the world! Well, it is certainly well known in the contemporary history of the world, you may ask how? So, listen to my story.

It dates back to 1929. A while before the extension of the second world war flames to all fragile world of that time. Black Bridge was built under the request of the south shipping company of Iran, in the Time of the Rezashah Pahlavi, and it was considered alongside the developing plans of modernization of Iran.

It was a great success because it was very strong and persistent and had a full design structure. Even these days Black Bridge is still being used without observing any reduction in performance. But shortly after the initiation of that cursed war, it was captured by Britain and soon they realized that through this dark-colored bridge, they can help the USSR army by sending them food and ammunition using Iran railways and make victory in the Second World War.

Well, that happened actually, they overused this bridge as much as they could, left a fatigue bridge away, and never ever pay a dam penny to rebuild or repair this bridge. They won the war and thought they named this bridge “The Victory Bridge”. Yes, that is truly a sad story but that is what Iran’s history has seen to itself over and over.

It is called the Black Bridge, because of its first color which is Metallic Black. The bridge is basically built on the ruined structure of an old bridge, built in the Sasanid era, called: “Shadorvan Bridge”. you may still see the stone base of that very ancient bridge below the current bridge. If you traveled to Ahvaz never miss visiting this bridge, the cause may be that the only reason you are still living freely!