What Bosphorus Means?
What is Bosphorus? Of course, we are fortunate to have an extraordinary city like Istanbul. Although it has some hard-to-overcome handicaps, such as population, migration, and traffic, none of them change the fact that Istanbul is one of the world’s most beautiful cities. One of the elements that make the city so special is definitely the unique Strait of Istanbul. Come to all the details about the Istanbul Strait, which is considered the city’s symbol, and let’s look closely.
Information About Istanbul Strait
The famous Istanbul Strait, which makes Istanbul Istanbul, connects the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara. Besides, one side of this strait belongs to Europe, and the other side belongs to Asia. This makes the Strait very valuable from a geopolitical point of view. It is the most used Place in all tourist promotions, not only in Istanbul but also in Turkey. It has the narrowest passage in the world compared to other straits engaged in international maritime transport. Many countries that have a coast to the Black Sea must use this place to go in the Mediterranean Sea direction. Sovereign rights to the Strait were handed over to our country with the agreement signed in 1936.
There are a total of 3 bridges over the Bosphorus. Because bridges connect two continents, they have an essential function. There is very intensive sea transport on the Bosphorus. Apart from city lines, steamboats and ferries, freighters, or passenger engines can also be seen frequently during the day. Thanks to Marmaray, which has recently added a new dimension to submarine transport, you can reach both sides of the Strait more quickly. 4. The Bosphorus, formed in geological time, has embraced many civilizations throughout history. Even if predictions of a fault depression have gained weight, it is difficult to make precise judgments about its formation.
The section off Uskudar is the area where the salinity of the Strait is highest. At the beginning of the places where this ratio is lowest, Beykoz and its surroundings come. Maiden Tower and Kuruçeşme Island are fascinating in the area surrounding the waters. The most serious problem of the Strait in recent times is pollution. Major tanker accidents, in particular, have caused significant damage to the Strait. The most recent of these accidents occurred in 2004.
Istanbul Strait depth and length
What Bosphorus Means? The total length of the Istanbul Strait is 29.5 km. The average depth of the Strait is 61 meters. On the other hand, the deepest areas of the Strait are about 120 meters. Bebek and Kandilli regions are the areas where the depth is highest. In general, this depth increases with a certain acceleration from the south to the North.
The Narrowest Place In Istanbul Strait
The narrowest part of the Istanbul Strait is the section between Rumeli and the Anatolian Fortress. This area has a total width of 760 meters. The widest section is about 3600 meters. (Rumeli Lighthouse – Anatolian Lighthouse)
When Did The Bosphorus Freeze?
5 of the first cases of frostbite when they examined records of the Istanbul Strait. It seems to have taken place in the century. The closest case of frostbite to the present day occurred in 1954. At that time, ice floes coming through Romania caused the Strait to close completely. It sounds surprising, but with this situation, which took place in February 1954, people had to cross the Strait on foot. The ships were forced to stop all their activities, and the big Strait became a tarmac. This freezing took place in the section called Poyrazköy – Rumeli Poplar. The Strait, filled with tiny icebergs, remained that way until March. It is said that this condition, which periodically repeats itself at very long intervals, can be experienced again in the future.
Istanbul Bosphorus yacht and Boat Tour
In the Bosphorus, many private yachts and boats sail during certain periods. Private yachts host many events, from marriage proposals to group dinners. Daily boat rentals are also possible here. Boat tours can be conducted exclusively for people or groups in dinner/no food formats. Every day of the week, a yacht charter with such options is possible in Istanbul’s Bosphorus.