The Bosphorus Bridge, known officially as the 15 July Martyrs Bridge and unofficially as the First Bridge, is one of the three suspension bridges spanning the Bosphorus strait in Istanbul, Turkey, thus connecting Europe and Asia. The bridge extends between Ortaköy and Beylerbeyi.

Why was the Bosphorus Bridge built?

The idea to bridge the gap between the two land masses dates back to around 400 BC when a floating pontoon bridge was built under the rule of Darius I in an attempt to expand the Persian Empire further into the Balkans. The decision to build a permanent, modern bridge was taken in 1957 by the Turkish government.

When was first bridge over Bosphorus?

There are three suspension bridges across the Bosphorus. The first to be built was the 15th July Martyrs' Bridge in 1973. At 1,560m long, it's part of the O1 motorway. The second – completed in 1988 – is the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge.