15 July Martyrs Bridge, Suspension bridge in Bosphorus strait, Turkey
The 15 July Martyrs Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Bosphorus that connects Europe and Asia on Turkish soil. The steel structure rests on two towers and carries a 33.5-meter-wide roadway (110 feet) for vehicle traffic.
Construction began in the early 1970s and concluded with the opening on October 30, 1973, as the first fixed link between the two continents. The renaming took place in 2016 following events that shaped the country profoundly.
The name recalls events deeply rooted in Turkish society that remain present in public memory today. For many Istanbul residents, crossing it is part of their daily commute, linking two continents in just a few minutes of driving.
Vehicles pay a toll only when crossing from Europe to Asia, while the return direction remains free. Pedestrians cannot access the roadway but can experience the crossing by bus or taxi.
The lighting changes color on certain days, transforming the silhouette at night into a widely visible sign above the water. In strong winds, the roadway can sway several meters, which the design compensates for through its engineering.
Location: Istanbul
Inception: October 29, 1973
Official opening: October 30, 1973
Height: 169 m
Length: 1,560 m
Longest Span: 1,074 m
Width: 33.5 m
Made from material: steel
Website: https://youtu.be/lObpU8MIN2c?si=e6dVLBKR3F4hdy4f&t=136
GPS coordinates: 41.04532,29.03456
Latest update: December 4, 2025 19:05
This collection presents suspension bridges recognized for their engineering solutions and their role in urban development. The Akashi Kaikyō Bridge in Japan spans 1,991 meters between its two towers, the longest distance of its kind in the world. The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco demonstrates 1930s engineering with its 1,280-meter main span. In New York, the Brooklyn Bridge has connected Manhattan to Brooklyn since 1883 and serves as an early reference point in modern bridge construction. The Humber Bridge in England held the record for the longest span from 1981 to 1998. In Istanbul, the Bosphorus Bridge has linked Europe to Asia since 1973 across a span of 1,074 meters. The Tower Bridge in London has combined a bascule bridge with suspension elements since 1894. These structures document the evolution of construction techniques over more than a century and remain important transportation routes in their respective regions.
This collection gathers bridges that hold world records for span length, defined as the distance between two main pylons. While the longest bridge in the world measures 165 kilometers in China, this refers to the maximum span covered in one continuous structure. These constructions demonstrate engineering achievements in crossing maritime straits, rivers, or valleys without intermediate supports. The Çanakkale Bridge in Turkey crosses the Dardanelles Strait with a span of 2,023 meters, setting the current record for suspension bridges. In Japan, the Akashi Strait Bridge connects Kobe to Awaji Island with a central span of 1,991 meters. In China, several bridges exceed 1,600 meters in span, such as the Yangsigang Bridge over the Yangtze in Wuhan or the Xihoumen Bridge in the Zhoushan Archipelago. South Korea with the Yi Sun-sin Bridge, Denmark with the Great Belt Bridge, and Turkey with the Osman Gazi Bridge complete this list of remarkable structures. These bridges are interesting destinations for observing modern civil engineering accomplishments. They connect cities and regions, significantly reducing travel times while offering scenic views of the landscapes they cross. Visiting them allows appreciation of the scope of work involved in constructing these infrastructures under often challenging conditions.
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