The Viaduct at Karaisalı

Hester Callow · 5 July 2026

A stone railway bridge on enormous arches, thrown across a gorge north of the city.

The Structure

It carries the railway over a deep gorge on a line of tall stone arches, built in the early twentieth century as part of the push to drive a railway through the Taurus mountains.

It is a serious piece of engineering and it looks it. From below, the scale is the thing; from the approach path, it is the drop.

Seeing It

There is a viewing area and a path, and trains still use the line, so with a little patience you can watch one cross.

Take water. It is exposed, there is very little shade, and the walk in is longer than the map suggests.

Around Karaisalı

The country north of the plain changes quickly as you climb: pine, running water, and temperatures noticeably lower than the city.

It is where Adana goes in August, which tells you something. Combine it with a late lunch somewhere along the river and it is the best day out in the province.