The Mighty Bosphorus

Istanbul is famous for many things, but the Bosphorus is certainly one of them.

An iconic waterway, a powerful waterway, a historic waterway, a very busy waterway. There are countless ways to describe the Bosphorus, but none of them seem sufficient!

This is the natural strait of water which splits Istanbul into two parts, and as a result, splits Europe from Asia. One side of Istanbul is European, and it stands on one side of the Bosphorus. The other side of Istanbul is Asian, and it stands on the other side of the Bosphorus. Istanbul is the only city in the world which can lay claim to this, and what a pretty cool claim to have!

The Bosphorus has been a contested strait of water throughout history, and this busy shipping lane is mainly why Istanbul was considered such a prize to conquer over the centuries that have passed. Even today, this waterway is part of why Istanbul is so vital to world trade.

About The Bosphorus

The Bosphorus is a strait of water (a natural one), which connects the Black Sea on one side, out to the Sea of Marmara on the other. Connecting two seas together is an important thing for trade, and that is why the Bosphorus is considered strategic and vital across the world.

It is 20 miles long, and it is a winding passage, which can be very perilous for unexperienced shipping personnel. The sometimes choppy current and the tight turns are a challenge for even the most experienced! It’s depth changes from the shallowest of 730 metres, to its deepest at 3300 metres. An abundance of sea-life can be found within the Bosphorus, and it’s not unusual to see the odd pod of dolphins swimming their way down! There are also many different types of fish which are found within the cold waters of the Bosphorus and that is why you see so many fishermen along the banks, no matter what the hour of the day, or time of year.

Its strategic position has deemed it important over the years in terms of wars and conflicts. During the Cold War, the Bosphorus was used by the Soviet Navy, as the only link between the Black Sea, down into the Mediterranean. Even today, you will see the odd accompanied war ship heading down the waterway.

A Busy Passage of Water

Every year, it is thought that around 48,000 different ships pass through the Bosphorus. It’s strange because these ships seem to move so quietly, it’s almost that one minute you’ll not see anything, you’ll sit and drink tea, talk, and then there will be a ship passing by so silently that it’s almost ghostly. It’s a very odd thing to see, but something quite special too.

You’ll see ships belonging to various navies, freight and cargo ships, as well as huge oil tankers passing by. It is thought that around 55 million tonnes of oil make their way through the Bosphorus on various ships every year. That’s a lot of oil!

Because of the treacherous and narrow bends which the Bosphorus is home to, ships have to move slowly and there has to be experienced personnel on board every ship. This is written into law and has to be strictly adhered to. A shipping accident on the Bosphorus would be a disaster, and as such, strict measures are put into place to ensure that nothing major happens. Of course, there are odd accidents every now and then, but in order to avoid anything huge, experience is vital.

Passing The Bosphorus

Because Istanbul is split by this waterway, there is always going to be a need to cross from one side to the other, and as such, bridges, tunnels, and ferries make this possible.

There are three bridges which cross the Bosphorus, and all three are suspension bridges. The main bridge, the ‘Bosphorus Bridge’ or ‘First Bridge’ as it is sometimes called connects Ortakoy on the European side, and Beylerbeyi on the Asian side. This bridge was designed by a British company and was opened in 1973. It is 1074 metres long and has 6 lanes in total.

The second bridge, located a little further down the coastline is called the ‘Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge’, and is often referred to as the ‘Second Bridge’. This bridge has been in place since 1988 and connects the neighbourhoods of the two castles on each side of the Bosphorus, i.e. Anadolu Hisari on the Asian side and Rumeli Hisari on the European side. This bridge is 1090 metres long and has 8 lanes in total.

The third bridge is a relatively new addition and is called the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge. This bridge was only opened in 2016 and is one of the highest and longest bridges of its kind in the world, at 1408 meters long, with 8 lanes in total and an extra 2 for trains. None of these bridges allow pedestrians to cross on foot, however during the Istanbul Marathon, the Bosphorus Bridge does close to vehicular traffic, and becomes part of the route. This is a great sight to see!

Other ways to cross this mighty strait from Europe to Asia, or vice versa is by Marmaray. This is a tunnel which was built underneath the Bosphorus and a high speed Metro service runs from Uskudar in Asia, to Yenikapi in Europe. The Marmaray service opened in 2013.

Of course, countless ferries cross over the Bosphorus every single day, in both directions, and that is without a doubt the most scenic way to appreciate this beautiful passage of water. By taking a ferry, you’ll get to understand just how large the Bosphorus is, and how powerful and strategic a place it holds in not only industry and shipping, but also in history too.

Sitting on the banks of the Bosphorus sipping tea or coffee on a sunny day is one of the best things to do in Istanbul, and there are countless cafes and tea houses which allow you to do just that.