Bosphorus Bridge, Suspension bridge over the Bosphorus strait in Istanbul, Turkey
The 15 July Martyrs Bridge, formerly the Bosphorus Bridge, is a gravity-anchored steel suspension bridge between Ortaköy in Europe and Beylerbeyi in Asia. Its aerodynamic deck, 33.40 m wide, hangs from inclined hangers on two towers 165 m tall, with a main span of 1,074 m.
Construction started in February 1970, and the bridge opened on 30 October 1973, the day after the Republic's 50th anniversary, inaugurated by President Fahri Korutürk. It was designed by British engineers Gilbert Roberts, William Brown and Michael Parsons of Freeman Fox & Partners, and built by Enka with Cleveland Bridge and Hochtief. On 25 July 2016 it was renamed 15 July Martyrs Bridge for those killed resisting the coup attempt ten days earlier.
The bridge is called the First Bridge (Birinci Köprü) because it was the first across the Bosphorus; its official name since 2016 honours those who died resisting the coup attempt on 15 July. Until 2006 tolls were paid in cash at booths, and for three years after opening pedestrians could climb the towers by lift to walk the deck.
The eight-lane highway has three standard lanes, one emergency lane and one pedestrian lane per direction; weekday mornings run four lanes westbound to Europe, evenings four eastbound. Pedestrians and trucks are barred, though walkers used the deck for the first three years via tower elevators. Tolls are charged in both directions since 1 January 2023, and cash payment ended on 3 April 2006.
Fully loaded, the deck sags about 90 cm at midspan. For the first three years after 1973, pedestrians could walk across, reaching the deck by elevators inside the towers; today no pedestrians or trucks are allowed. On 29 December 1997 the one-billionth vehicle crossed.
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