The three bridges over the Bosphorus
From the first bridge between continents in 1973 to the newest at the Black Sea end — and the tunnels beneath the water.
Published
For most of its history the Bosphorus was crossed only by boat. Today three suspension bridges and two tunnels join the continents — but the ferries are still running.
The first bridge, 1973
The first bridge between Europe and Asia opened on 30 October 1973, between Ortaköy and Beylerbeyi, with a main span of 1,074 metres. For decades it was simply the Bosphorus Bridge; in 2016 it was renamed the 15 July Martyrs Bridge. At night its lights change colour, and it is the bridge you pass under on almost every cruise.
The second bridge, 1988
The Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge opened in 1988 at the narrows, just north of the two fortresses. Its name honours Mehmed II, the conqueror of Constantinople, whose fortress of Rumeli Hisarı stands beside its European end.
The third bridge, 2016
The Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge opened in 2016 near the Black Sea entrance, far to the north of the city centre. It is out of sight on a cruise from the old city.
Under the water
Two tunnels cross beneath the strait: the Marmaray rail tunnel, opened in 2013, and the Eurasia road tunnel, opened in 2016. Both run under the southern end of the Bosphorus, close to the old city.