the pearl necklacess of Turkey: the Bridges... (Volume 2)

bosphorus strait

As following through our recent post, let's mention about how could we have these pearl neclacess. Everyone can talk about the beauties but my favorite subject is the process of their formation.


?THE REASON
Istanbul has expanded the borders posthaste, therefore offered an employment opportunity to the people. When istanbul became a new trade center of Turkey, a rural exodus has started rapidly. Still going on...

The percentage of the people, who were living in the  urbans, has become %70 of Turkey's total population, whereas before it was %30 . The expanding of the other cities like Ankara or Izmir were easy in a part of the land, but it was quite complicated for Istanbul. Because Istanbul had two different sides. Istanbul had already have ferries for public transportation, and the people could effort the rents of the houses in European site of Istanbul migrated there, but some of them who could not effort these, migrated to Asian site of Istanbul from the other regions of Turkey.

map of Istanbul

?THE CONSTRUCTION
Construction of the Bosphorus Bridge had started in 1970 and finished in 1973. on the 50th anniversary of Turkish republic in 1973, it has been put into the service.

construction of the Bosphorus bridge

construction of the Bosphorus bridge

construction of the Bosphorus bridge

construction of the Bosphorus bridge

?THE SPECIALITIES OF THE BRIDGES
The Bosphorus Bridge, also called the First Bosphorus Bridge or simply the First Bridge (Turkish: Boğaziçi Köprüsü, 1. Boğaziçi Köprüsü or Birinci Köprü) is one of two suspension bridges spanning the Bosphorus strait (Turkish: Boğaziçi) in Istanbul, Turkey; thus connecting Europe and Asia (the other one is the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, which is called the Second Bosphorus Bridge.) The bridge is located between Ortaköy (on the European side) and Beylerbeyi (on the Asian side).

It is a gravity anchored suspension bridge with steel towers and inclined hangers. The aerodynamic deck hangs on zigzag steel cables. It is 1,560 m (5,118 ft)[1] long with a deck width of 33.40 m (110 ft). The distance between the towers (main span) is 1,074 m (3,524 ft) and the total height of the towers is 165 m (541 ft). The clearance of the bridge from sea level is 64 m (210 ft).


When it was completed in 1973, the Bosphorus Bridge was the 4th longest suspension bridge span in the world, and the longest outside the United States. At present, it is the 22nd longest suspension bridge span in the world.

The Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, also known as the Second Bosphorus Bridge (in Turkish: Fatih Sultan Mehmet Köprüsü, F.S.M. Köprüsü or 2. Köprü), is a bridge in Istanbul, Turkey spanning the Bosphorus strait (Turkish: Boğaziçi). When completed in 1988, it was the 5th longest suspension bridge span in the world; today it is the 19th.

The bridge is named after the 15th century Ottoman Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror, who conquered Constantinople (Istanbul) in 1453 from the Byzantine Empire. It carries the European route E80, Asian Highway 1, Asian Highway 5, and Otoyol 2 highways.

The bridge is situated between Hisarüstü (European side) and Kavacık (Asian side). It is a gravity-anchored suspension bridge with steel pylons and vertical hangers. The aerodynamic deck is hanging on double vertical steel cables. It is 1,510 m long with a deck width of 39 m. The distance between the towers (main span) is 1,090 m and their height over road level is 105 m. The clearance of the bridge from sea level is 64 m.

?THE HAPPY END

Actually we can not mention entirely the happy things  on the bridges, because it has come in possession of suicide in a short term by the people who have psychological and monetary problem. That's why walking on the bridges are not allowed today with a few exceptions.

walking on the bridge

For 42 years it helps us to pass between the continents without passport and visa...

welcome to Europe

And also Eurasia Marathon is organized every year with the participation of world wide famous athletes and the public. It is the only one marathon starts on one continent and finishes on the another one. 

Eurasia Marathon