Cars and trucks still run on a 5 centuries old bridge. The unique Kadin Bridge is located near Kyustendil and was built in 1470. It is about 100 meters long. The bridge has five semi-cylindrical vault. The idea of the bridge came from Isaac Pasha, who was stopped at a march by the waters of the Struma River.

For the bridge, however there are many legends. The most common says that Kadin bridge was raised by three brothers who were from a neighboring village. The brothers tried several times to lay the foundations of the bridge, but everything that what build during the day, was destroyеd every night be the waters of Struma river. In order not to lose their lives because they cant fulfill the commandments of Isaac Pasha, one night they decided to strengthen the building as embeding the shadow of the first person who visits the building early in morning of the next day.

So the brothers left a hole in the building and waited. Early on the next morning arrived the young bride of one of the brothers – Master Manol. His wife was called Struma and the two had an infant child. The bride arrived at dawn with their infant to kiss her husband and to bring him the prepared lunch. Master Manol start to cry but pushed into the prepared hole his young bride. She cried and prayed to leave her breast out to be able to breastfeed her offspring. They say that today in the night her voice still can be heard. In the past mothers that couldn’t  breastfeed tore a piece of granite from the bridge. Then they were boiling it and drank it in order to come back their milk.

According to another legend, the bridge was built as a wedding gift to a brave Bulgarian bride by the Turkish sultan himself. When he set out on a military expedition to Bosnia in Nevestino he met a wedding. Most of the guests frightened and fled. But the but bride bowed to the army and the Sultan and gave the ruler a gift. Then the governor asked her what she wanted in return impressed by her bravery. The newly married bride asked for a bridge over the river so she can go to visit her mother. The bridge was made and called “Kadan kyuprasi” or “Nevestin Bridge” / from the Turkish word kadan which means bride /. Over the years the name changed and today is Kadin Bridge.

You can enjoy the beauty of Kadin bridge from a panoramic site in the near by park. In the hot summer the bridge is used by the local kids as a platform for water jumps.