Delak Bridge

Delak Bridge is a historic monument from the Safavid era, built on the old caravan road from Tehran to Qom, near the Delak Caravanserai and over the Qarah Su River. It was registered on Iran's National Heritage list on 19 Esfand 1380 under registration number 4869. In the past, Delak Bridge was one of the crossing points on the caravan route between Tehran and Qom, and together with the caravanserais and other roadside structures of the area, it served travellers on the road. In the late 19th century, after the river changed its course and the salt lake expanded, traffic on this old road stopped and the modern Tehran–Qom route took its place. As a result, the bridge lost its original function and gradually fell into disrepair.

Delak Bridge originally had a length of about 153 metres and a width of roughly 6 metres, and was built as a structure of arched spans of different sizes. The curve of the bridge's course and its changes of direction in several sections are among the architectural features of the structure. The piers are built of slab stone and sarooj mortar, and brick was used in the arches and in parts of the body of the bridge. In various sections the piers also have semicircular cutwaters, designed to withstand the force of the water. In local sources, the name of the bridge is linked to the story of a barber (dallak) who drowned in a flood; according to this account, after the incident the local people built a bridge so they could cross the river more safely. Beside the bridge lie the remains of the Delak Caravanserai, another historic building in the area. Over time, parts of the bridge have been destroyed by changing river conditions, the abandonment of the old route and illegal digging.

To visit Delak Bridge, you can take the roads leading to the village of Malekabad in Qom County. However, it is best to check the exact location of the bridge's remains on a map before you set out, because the old routes in the area differ from today's roads. The cooler seasons, especially autumn and winter, are usually the best time to visit open-air historic sites in Qom Province. During your visit, avoid entering unstable parts of the structure, climbing on the walls, or touching the remaining stones and bricks. Taking care of the remains of the bridge and the caravanserai, and not leaving litter behind, also helps preserve this historic landmark.