Bosphorus bridges
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Istanbul is the economic and cultural capital of the State of Turkey. This makes it the center of attraction for many Turkish citizens and non-Turks always in order to visit or work or even spend their holiday in a distinctive Turkish atmosphere. The Bosphorus is a meeting point between continents of Asia and Europe. The bridges and tunnels that cross the gulf connect these two continents.
In this article we will mention the three outstanding bridges on the Bosphorus:
Bosphorus Bridge:
It connects the Asian and European sides of Istanbul. It was opened in 1973 on the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of the Turkish Republic.The bridge is 1560 meters long and 33 meters wide and 64 meters high. It is 65 meters above sea level and is carried by 165 meters of concrete and metal poles. Each column is 10 meters apart. The steel wire stretched between the legs of the bridge provides an additional lifting pillar of 10,412 wires. They are connected to form strong metal beams for the bridge.
The importance of the Bosphorus Bridge:
The importance of the Bosphorus Bridge is that it is one of the transport routes between the Asian and European sides of the city of Istanbul, and sea routes cut by ferries and public transport vessels of the Istanbul Municipality, in addition to the Marmarai train, which passes under the bottom of the Bosphorus Strait and consists of eight corridors, two of which are emergency on weekdays. Four of the six lanes operate to relieve pressure during peak hours. Western corridors are heavily used in the morning, while eastern corridors are heavily used in the evening. Approximately 200,000 vehicles enter a bridge from a car, a passenger bus, a truck to transport goods, etc. It carries about 600,000 people crossing between the two sides of the city in exchange for a fee paid by each vehicle when entering the bridge from smart cards affixed to its windshield and read by electronic sensors installed on both ends of the bridge. Pedestrians are not allowed to cross the bridge on foot for fear of self-harm and suicide. The Bosphorus Bridge is the longest suspension bridge in the world. It has an advanced lighting system was installed on the bridge in 2007 to work on lighting the Bosphorus in the evening. Light shown are colorful in the evening using modern technology. The Bosphorus is an important tourist attraction in Turkey.
Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge:
It is also called the second Bosphorus Bridge or as it is said “Mehmet the Conqueror Bridge”. The bridge was named for the Turkish Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror 1453. The construction of the bridge came two years after the opening of the first Bosphorus Bridge because it witnessed very crowded traffic on it As a result of the increase in the population of Istanbul, which made it very important to start the construction of another bridge to reduce congestion on the first bridge. The bridge was built at a site where the width of the gulf at a minimum of 660 meters and was opened in 1988 and the length of the bridge is 1510 meters and 39 meters in width and the height above the water as the first bridge 64 meters.
The Importance of Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge:
The Fatih Bridge adds an artistic touch to the water of the Bosphorus. It was designed by the company that designed the first Bosphorus Bridge. It costed Thirty million US dollars. The first to cross this is the prime minister who drove his official car, and was registered as the first TurgutÖzal bridge as the first person to cross this bridge.
Sultan Yavuz Bridge:
It is the third bridge on the Bosphorus and was named in honor of the Ottoman Sultan Selim I, who expanded the Ottoman Empire to the Middle East and North Africa. It is located near the entrance of the Black Sea from the Bosphorus gulf, where it connects the area of Garys in the European section and Gogazkoy area in the Asian section.It was completed in 2013 and completed in 2016.
The bridge body is made of metal pieces, has four corridors, and a railway. Michel Verlugo, along with Gian Francois Klein, designed the bridge. Its columns are among the highest in the world with a height of 322 meters, costing about $ 900 million.Started in 2013, the Sultan Selim Bridge crosses the Bosphorus Strait and connects the Asian and European parts of Istanbul.
The goal of the construction of the bridge of Sultan Selim Yavuz:
Alleviate traffic congestion in Istanbul, a city of 16 million people, reduce fuel costs and save labor time, as well as relieve pressure on two other bridges crossing the Bosphorus Strait by crossing 150 million vehicles annually.
The writer “Orhan Pamuk” in his book: Istanbul city of memories ….
“The Bosphorus is the spirit of Istanbul and from this, it draws strength.”