The Bosphorus Bridge is symbolic rather than picturesque, but that does not prevent it from being one of Istanbul’s symbols today! Many events are associated with this structure, historical, economic, and even sporting. Surprisingly, here was a tennis match of the famous tennis player Venus Williams.
This bridge was the first suspension bridge over the Bosphorus and eventually connected the European and Asian parts of Istanbul.
The suspension bridge over the Bosporus was discussed back in 1950, when Oleg Alexandrovich Kerensky’s design was ready, but construction began only 20 years later, on February 20, 1970. The bridge was inaugurated three years later, on October 29, 1973 to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Republic of Turkey.
The German firm Hochtief and the English Cleveland Engineering were engaged in its construction, while the total sum spent on the bridge construction was enormous for that time, $200 million.
According to such spending and technical data of the bridge are quite serious: the total length of the bridge is 1560 (length of the main span – 1074 meters), width – only 33 meters, and the height of the piers reaches 165 meters above the water surface. The roadway is separated from the water by 64 meters.
Pedestrians have not been allowed on the Bosporus Bridge for a long time, of course, because of “fans of suffering and jumping from bridges,” as if a high bridge appears somewhere, immediately there are clouds of suicides… But once a year, as an exception, people are allowed on the bridge – during the October Istanbul Marathon, which participants start in Asia and finish in Europe) During the marathon motor traffic on the bridge is stopped.
Every day 200,000 cars travel across the bridge from continent to continent – a toll, of course.
By the way, if I’m not mistaken, the Bosphorus Bridge is now the 13th longest suspension bridge in the world and one of the largest structures of the 20th century.
In 2006 the Bosphorus Bridge was “renovated” thanks to Philips Lighting, who installed modern LED lighting on it. Unlike the previous lighting, this one consumes 50% less energy and has the ability to produce a variety of colors different from conventional light sources.