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.
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