Istanbul is known as a city that connects two continents together, Asia and Europe. And this city’s Asian and European sides are connected together with several bridges. If you have seen some panoramic views of Istanbul or the cityscape of this wonderful city, you may have seen a large bridge and wondered what that Istanbul famous bridge is.
On this blog post, we are going to be talking about the most famous bridge in Istanbul, as well as some of the other well-known ones. Connecting the two sides of the city together, along with Asia and Europe, these bridges are surely worth talking about.
Istanbul Famous Bridges Contents
What is the Name of the Istanbul Famous Bridge?
In Istanbul, there are numerous well-known bridges. So if you have been wondering what the name of the Istanbul famous bridge is, get ready to talk about three distinct bridges in this city. One of those bridges was built in the 70s, while the second one was constructed around fifteen years later, in the 80s.
The last one among those bridges is quite recent, compared to the others, having been built in 2010s. Connecting the two sides of the city, and two continents together, these bridges are important parts of the city. Along with their functional side, they are also fairly iconic parts of Istanbul.
How Many Bridges are There Over Bosphorus and What are Those?
When you check out photos of Istanbul, you may usually come across the most well-known bridges in this city. But besides these famous ones, there are also many other bridges in Istanbul, as it is quite a large city. However, if we are to talk about Istanbul famous bridge examples, we can focus on the ones that are situated over the Bosphorus.
There are currently three bridges over the Bosphorus and these are the Bosphorus Bridge (the 15 July Martyrs Bridge or the First Bridge), the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge (the Second Bosphorus Bridge) and the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge (the Third Bosphorus Bridge).
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Bosphorus Bridge
When speaking about the Istanbul famous bridge, we should definitely discuss the Bosphorus Bridge, which is also known by its official name: the 15 July Martyrs Bridge. Among the three bridges we mentioned above, this one is the oldest, as it was built between 1970 and 1973.
So it is also known as the First Bridge, too. It connects the Ortaköy area in European side of the city with the Beylerbeyi area in the Asian side. Aside from its iconic look, one of the reasons why this bridge is important is because it is one of the bridges that connect two continents: Europe and Asia. With a total length of 1560 meters and width of 33,40 meters, it is a massive bridge.
Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge
When it comes to Istanbul famous bridge examples, another one of the bridges we can mention is this one: the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge. This bridge is also known as the Second Bosphorus Bridge, since it is the second one after the 15 July Martyrs Bridge.
At 1510 meters, its total length is slightly shorter than the Bosphorus Bridge, while its longest span is longer: 1090 meters. With a width of 39 meters, it is wider than the Bosphorus Bridge. Construction of the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge began in 1986 and it was completed in 1988. This bridge connects the Hisarüstü and Kavacık areas in Istanbul. Like the 15 July Martyrs Bridge, the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge is a suspension bridge.
Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge
Speaking of the Istanbul famous bridge examples that are over the Bosphorus, the last one that we will discuss is the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, which was named after one of the Ottoman Sultans. This bridge connects the Garipçe and Poyrazköy areas in Istanbul, which are located in Sarıyer and Beykoz respectively.
As it is the third bridge over the Bosphorus, it is also known as the Third Bosphorus Bridge. With a total length of 2164 meters, width of 58.4 meters and height of around 322 meters, it is definitely an enormous bridge. The construction of this bridge started in 2013 and it was finished in 2016. So compared to the other two bridges over the Bosphorus, this one is a relatively new one.
Some of the Other Bridges in Istanbul
The bridges we have talked about in the previous sections of this post are fairly good examples, when it comes to Istanbul famous bridge options. However, the bridges over the Bosphorus are not the only bridges in Istanbul. As it is a very big city, there are numerous bridges located in Istanbul. And some of these bridges are quite iconic and well-known.
Aside from the ones we talked about, the Galata Bridge and the Golden Horn Metro Bridge are among the other bridges in this city. The Golden Horn Metro Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge built between 2009 and 2014, connecting Küçükpazarı and Karaköy areas. As for the Galata Bridge, we will talk about it in better detail in one of the following sections.
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What is the Oldest Bridge Over the Bosphorus?
Currently, there are three bridges situated over the Bosphorus. When discussing Istanbul famous bridge, these bridges are definitely worth mentioning. But, which one among those is the oldest one?
As it was built in the 70s, the 15 July Martyrs Bridge is the oldest bridge over the Bosphorus. The other two bridges over the Bosphorus, the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge and the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, were built in the 80s and 2010s respectively. While the Second Bosphorus Bridge was built in a closer time period to the first, the third one is a fairly recent one.
Why is Galata Bridge So Famous?
Another one of the well-known bridges in Istanbul is the Galata Bridge. But why is this one famous? The Galata Bridge connects various important parts of the city together and it is another one of the remarkable and iconic places in Istanbul. This bridge connects Eminönü to Karaköy, which are located in Fatih and Beyoğlu respectively.
Can You Walk Across That Istanbul Famous Bridge (Bosphorus Bridge)?
In case you are feeling fascinated by the Bosphorus Bridge, you may be wondering if it is possible to walk on it. Unfortunately, currently this bridge is not available for pedestrians to walk on.
What is the Significance of the Istanbul Famous Bridge (Bosphorus Bridge)?
There are many factors that make the Bosphorus Bridge significant, and a great candidate for Istanbul famous bridge. Firstly, it is a bridge that connects two continents together. Also, among the bridges over the Bosphorus, this one is the oldest one. Moreover, it is a large and iconic bridge that is quite remarkable.
What is the Importance of the Other Well-Known Bridges in Istanbul?
If we are speaking about the other bridges over the Bosphorus, we can say some of the same things we already said about the Bosphorus Bridge, like connecting two continents and being remarkable structures. As for the other ones, they are important for their practical functions, as well as looks, etc.
What Does the Istanbul Famous Bridge Connect?
There are many Istanbul famous bridge examples and depending on which one we are talking about, the answer to this question may differ. For example, the Galata Bridge is merely connecting two separate parts of the city, while the Bosphorus Bridge is connecting the Asian and European sides of Istanbul, thus connecting Europe and Asia together. This is also the case for the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge and the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, as well.
What Bridge in Turkey Looks Like the Golden Gate Bridge?
With their significant function of connecting two pieces of land together, bridges are fairly important structures and there are well-known bridges in many parts of the world. One of the famous bridges in the world is the Golden Gate Bridge.
If you are familiar with this bridge, you may wonder which one of the bridges in Turkey looks like the Golden Gate Bridge. Well, the Bosphorus Bridge can be considered similar to the Golden Gate Bridge in terms of looks, but when it comes to their features like length and height, they are quite different from each other.
A Bridge That Connects Two Sides of a City… And Two Continents Together
There are numerous bridges in Istanbul, some connecting two distant parts of the city together, while some connect together two continents. These three bridges over the Bosphorus that we have discussed, can be deemed especially meaningful as they are literally bridges between Asia and Europe. Aside from that, these magnificent structures are an iconic and important part of the city, too.
Istanbul Famous Bridge Final Words
Have you been curious to know about that Istanbul famous bridge you may have seen in various photos? Well, when it comes to this topic, there are numerous bridges to mention, and on this blog post we have talked about some. From the Bosphorus Bridge to the Galata Bridge, many of the bridges in Istanbul may be worthy of that title.