Istanbul Bosphorus Bridge

About the Bosphorus Bridge

Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey, spanning Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus Strait. Known for its iconic Bosphorus Bridge, historic Hagia Sophia, and rich cultural heritage. The city combines ancient Byzantine and Ottoman history with modern Turkish culture, featuring the Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar, and vibrant street life.

Completed in 1973 and opened on 29–30 October of that year to coincide with the fiftieth anniversary of the Turkish Republic, the suspension bridge over the Bosphorus gave Istanbul its first permanent road link between Europe and Asia. Designed by the British firm Freeman Fox & Partners and built with German and Turkish contractors, its main span of about 1,074 metres made it one of the longest suspension bridges in the world at the time. It quickly came to stand for the city's position astride two continents, and it appeared on Turkish banknotes and stamps. After the failed coup attempt of 15 July 2016, during which crowds confronted soldiers on it, the structure was renamed the 15 July Martyrs Bridge.