The Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul has been connecting the Asian and European continents for 51 years.
The bridge, which opened on October 30, 1973, carries an average of 190,000 vehicles per day, and the construction of this architectural gem has fulfilled a century-old dream.
The idea of connecting the two sides of Istanbul, a city that has represented an important historical, political, commercial and cultural value for centuries, dates back to ancient times. One of the greatest dreams of the civilizations that ruled in those areas was to unite the two continents.
Especially after the 16th century, during the Ottoman period, numerous ideas and projects were proposed to connect the two continents, but none were realized until the construction of the Bosphorus Bridge.
After the second half of the 20th century, Istanbul entered a rapid process of urbanization, with the expansion of residential areas, waves of migration and an increase in traffic that led to the first steps towards the construction of bridges across the Bosphorus.
The construction of the Bosphorus Bridge, on which British and German companies worked, began in February 1970.
The six-lane bridge, with a total length of 1,560 meters and a span of 1,074 meters between the towers, was completed in about three years and eight months, and more than 23.2 million dollars were paid for the construction of the bridge.
The Bosphorus Bridge is the oldest and southernmost of the three suspension bridges spanning the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul, which connects Europe and Asia. The bridge spans between Ortakoy in Europe and Beylerbeyi in Asia.
This is a gravity-anchored suspension bridge with steel towers where the aerodynamic deck hangs on steel cables.
The Bosphorus Bridge is also known as an important transport route, connecting parts of Europe with Turkish cities and beyond.
The first bridge connecting the two sides of the Turkish metropolis was opened the day after the 50th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey, on October 30, 1973, by then-President Fahri Koruturk.
The official name of the Bosphorus Bridge was changed to “July 15 Martyrs’ Bridge” on July 26, 2016, in memory of the people who died during the July 15 coup attempt, AA writes.
