Write: Nevzat Onmuş - Photos:Engin Güneysu

Hasret (Longing) Bridge: Nakhichevan

The 13 kilometer border between Turkey and Nakhichevan is known as ‘Dilucu’ or tip of the tongue. Nakhichevan, which is described as “the Andorra of the future” is connected to Turkey by the Hasret (Longing) Bridge over the Aras.

The voices of the great Seljuks and Oğuz clans still echo on the plains of Nakhichevan. One face of Nakhichevan is fixed on Anatolia, the other, on the abyss of Central Asia. There is only a physical border separating us from these lands, which share a culture and language with Anatolia.This border is called ‘Dilucu’ and the road that connects Turkey and Nakhichevan crosses the Hasret Bridge over the Aras River. This autonomous republic is named after its capital, like the historical Kingdom of Nakhichevan. Today, the province today has a population of 70,000 people and the total population of the country of Azerbaijan is around 400,000.

I make a list of historical monuments to see: the Dede Korkut monument, Köroğlu, the Prophet Noah’s tomb and Ashabı Keyf Temple. I hit the road at once and sit cross legged as I read Dedem Korkut stories looking for insight about the chaotic era we are living in.

Hasret (Longing) Bridge
It’s time to get going. Together with my news journalist friend, Recep Yazgan, we arrive at Kars by THY. When we arrive at the Dilucu border crossing in Iğdır, we are very happy. (It is now possible to fly directly to Nakhichevan with AnadoluJet.) Recep tells stories about Köroğlu the whole way. There is an iron bridge on the Nakhichevan border that crosses the river and connects the two countries. We call it the Hasret Bridge whereas in Nakhichevan they call it ‘Ümit’ or hope bridge. As we pass through customs, an officer says, “Welcome to Nakhichevan,” in Turkish. We learn that the officer was educated in Gülhane Military Academy in Istanbul. We pass from Culfa to Nakhichevan. Rows of watermelon displays line the road. Recep talks of İsmet Özel this time. Why is it they always use gas lamps to light the watermelon displays? Tidy, clean and green all along the road; the province looks beautiful to me. Wherever you are in the province you can see mountains, which is so typically Eastern. Due to the arid climate, we don’t sweat during this hot summer day. Haça Mountain is an incredible sight with a crevasse running through it.

Noah’s Ark
According to the legend of the flood, the mountain split in the middle to give way to Noah’s Ark. After passing through this crack, the ark landed on Gemiqaya, near the Ordubad province. It is even claimed that the name Nakhichevan originates from Nuh Çıkan – Noah’s Arrival. The houses in the province are built from white stones, providing a refreshing atmosphere with their bright facades. There are very few cars and hardly any traffic. In this small province it is possible to escape the city and dive into the cool shadows of nature.
The first day we stay in a small hotel. It’s a clean place and the personnel spare no smiles. Since they know that we are from Turkey, they pay special attention to us. The hotel frequently hosts Iranian quests over the weekends. Just like having a picnic on the grass, we ate delicious meals at beautifully laid tables before the mountains: fresh salads, vegetables and grilled meats... The second day we hire a taxi to explore the city. Our driver is named Haydar and shares a name with Haydar Aliyev. Acting as our guide, he first takes us to Aliyev’s palace. The weather is beautiful. It’s an impressive building. Turkish architects built the city. By transforming the appearance or nearly all public buildings, they imparted anaesthetic aspect to the city’s facade. We stop by the historic, touristic areas of the city. We like the museums very much. We visit the Haydar Aliyev museum. There is a Literature Museum where handwritten samples of Azerbaijan Literature are preserved and displayed, which must especially be seen by artlovers.

We Die, Our Work Remains As A Souvenir
It is impossible not to be impressed by the Mümine Hatun Tomb. The Mümine Hatun Tomb was built in the 13th century by Acemi bin Ebu Bekir for Kızıl Arslan’s mother, and it must be seen. Every square centimeter of this giant tomb exudes love for a wife and mother lost too soon. This towering vault was built between 1186 and 1187 and is regarded as an architectural masterpiece with the high niches on its exterior, embroided lines and ornaments. On the front facade of the building, in a very elegant style, the following phrases are inscribed: “We go, but the wind stays We die, our work remains as a souvenir.”

Dedem Korkut
I’m getting impatient to see the Dede Korkut Monument. The statue of Dede Korkut was raised in 1999 in a beautiful square to commemorate the 1,300th anniversary of his book. It looks as though he is waiting for the crowds to gather to listen to his stories. Immediately I am reminded of my childhood, which was full of Dede Korkut stories. Is it possible to forget Boğaç Khan, Bamsı Beyrek, Tepegöz, and the imprisonment of Salur Kazan? How can one forget Deli Dumrul who charged 30 silver coins to those who crossed his bridge and 40 silver coins to those who didn’t after beating them up? Who else could have inscribed in my little heart that there was good in every person and that there was no equal to a mother’s love?

Köroğlu Of Nakhichevan
Seeing Köroğlu’s statue made me quite emotional. The folk hero Köroğlu sits on a reared up horse with a sword in his hand and looks as though he is protecting the province. Who doesn’t know of the famous Köroğlu, who lived up in the mountains, or of the legendary love of this heroic figure? I promise to buy an ice cream cone for all those who can tell me three differences between our Köroğlu from Bolu and the Köroğlu of Nakhichevan. Azeris adopt these two important figures as theirs, as much as we do.

Duzdaği (Salt Mountain) Dream
This time our guide takes us to a hotel. The Duzdağı Physiotherapy Center treats asthma patients and is the first salt hotel in the world. With its 200 meter long salt cave, it is really worth seeing.

Nakhichevan Is A Magnificent Structure
They call Nakhichevan the “Andorra of the future.” As we leave Nakhichevan a peculiar sense of sorrow washes over me. I carry the kindness shown by our Nakhichevan friends as emotional treasures in my heart, which will nourish me for quite sometime.