The Bosphorus Bridge
The Bosphorus Bridge (Turkish: Boğaziçi Köprüsü), known officially as the 15 July Martyrs Bridge (Turkish: 15 Temmuz Şehitler Köprüsü) and unofficially as the First Bridge (Turkish: Birinci Köprü), is one of the three suspension bridges spanning the Bosphorus strait (Turkish: Boğaziçi) in Istanbul, Turkey, thus connecting Europe and Asia (alongside Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge and Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge). The bridge extends between Ortaköy (in Europe) and Beylerbeyi (in Asia).
It is a gravity-anchored suspension bridge with steel towers and inclined hangers. The aerodynamic deck hangs on steel cables. It is 1,560 m (5,118 ft) 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).
Upon its completion in 1973, the Bosphorus Bridge had the fourth-longest suspension bridge span in the world, and the longest outside the United States (only the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, Golden Gate Bridge and Mackinac Bridge had a longer span in 1973). The Bosphorus Bridge remained the longest suspension bridge in Europe until the completion of the Humber Bridge in 1981, and the longest suspension bridge in Asia until the completion of the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge (Second Bosphorus Bridge) in 1988 (which was surpassed by the Minami Bisan-Seto Bridge in 1989). Currently, the Bosphorus Bridge has the 33rd-longest suspension bridge span in the world.
After a group of soldiers took control and partially closed off the bridge during the military coup d'état attempt on 15 July 2016, Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım announced on 25 July 2016 the decision of the Cabinet of Turkey that the bridge will be formally renamed as the 15 Temmuz Şehitler Köprüsü (July 15th Martyrs Bridge) in memory of those killed while resisting the attempted coup.
 |
The Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, connecting Asia (left) and Europe (right) |
| Coordinates | 41°02′43″N 29°02′04″E |
|---|---|
| Carries | 6 lanes of  O-1 |
| Crosses | Bosphorus strait |
| Locale | Istanbul |
| Official name | Bosphorus Bridge |
| Other name(s) | 15 July Martyrs Bridge First Bridge |
| Maintained by | General Directorate of Highways |
| Preceded by | Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Suspension bridge |
| Material | Steel |
| Total length | 1,560 m (5,118 ft) |
| Width | 33.40 m (110 ft) |
| Height | 165 m (541 ft) |
| Longest span | 1,074 m (3,524 ft) |
| Clearance below | 64 m (210 ft) |
| History | |
| Designer | Gilbert Roberts William Brown Michael Parsons |
| Engineering design by | Freeman Fox & Partners Enka Construction & Industry Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company Hochtief AG |
| Construction start | 20 February 1970 |
| Construction end | 1 June 1973 |
| Opened | 30 October 1973 |
| Statistics | |
| Daily traffic | 200,000 |
| Toll | Only in one direction |
