Exposed disbelief! The world’s longest bridge is unveiled in Turkey, costing $2 billion and spanning 1.25 miles between its towers
- The 1915 Canakkale Bridge will save Turkey £348 million a year in fuel consumption and emissions
- It allows travelers to cross the Dardanelles Strait in six minutes compared to the previous 90 by ferry
- The 1915 Canakkale Bridge is named after Turkey’s naval victory over a British and French fleet in World War I
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With a span of two kilometers (2,023 m, 6,637 ft) between its towers, the 1915 Canakkale Bridge in Turkey has become the longest suspension bridge in the world.
It connects the European and Asian shores of the Dardanelles Strait – an important waterway – from Gelibolu on the European side of Turkey’s northwestern Canakkale Province to the city of Lapseki on the Asian side.
The bridge allows travelers to cross the Dardanelles, which connect the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara, in just six minutes compared to the previous 90 minutes by ferry.
With a span of two kilometers (2,023 m, 6,637 ft) between its towers, the 1915 Canakkale Bridge in Turkey has become the longest suspension bridge in the world
The bridge allows travelers to cross the Dardanelles, which connect the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara, in just six minutes compared to the previous 90 minutes by ferry
The architecture of the bridge is full of symbolism. Its central span of 2,023 meters commemorates the year 2023, when Turkey celebrates the centenary of the founding of the Turkish Republic after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire
The 1915 Canakkale Bridge cost 2.5 billion euros ($2.7 billion/£1.5 billion) to build, but Turkey gets 415 million euros ($458 million/£348 million) a year by reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The toll for the bridge is 200 Turkish Liras ($13.60/£10.30).
The architecture of the bridge is full of symbolism. Its central span of 2,023 meters commemorates the year 2023, when Turkey celebrates the centenary of the founding of the Turkish Republic after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.
The height of the bridge’s towers is 318 meters (1,043 feet) – a nod to March 18 (or March 18), when Turkey commemorates the soldiers killed during the naval and land battles of Gallipoli.
The height of the bridge’s towers is 318 meters (1,043 feet) – a nod to March 18 (or March 18), when Turkey commemorates the soldiers killed during the naval and land battles of Gallipoli
The 1915 Canakkale Bridge cost 2.5 billion euros ($2.7 billion/£1.5 billion) to build, but Turkey gets 415 million euros ($458 million/£348 million) a year by reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions
At the inauguration, South Korean Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said: “The 1915 Canakkale Bridge (pictured above) will leave behind this history of collisions and conflicts and be a bridge between East and West, ushering in a new era of peace and unity.” Peace heralds prosperity’
The Gallipoli campaign of Entente powers Britain, France and Russia in World War I aimed to secure a sea route from the Mediterranean to Istanbul through the Dardanelles and take the Ottoman Empire out of the war. The landings at Gallipoli on April 25, 1915 marked the beginning of a bitter struggle that lasted eight months. Around 44,000 Allied troops and 86,000 Ottoman soldiers died in the fighting.
At the opening ceremony on March 18, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, “Turkey has overtaken Japan, which has the longest bridge in the world in terms of central span, and has taken first place.”
The inauguration coincided with the 107th anniversary of Turkey’s naval victory in World War I over the joint British and French fleet that attacked the Dardanelles. The failure of the naval campaign led to the ill-fated Allied landings in the Gallipoli Peninsula in 1915, led by Britain and France, along with troops from Australia and New Zealand.
The bridge was built by a consortium of Turkish and South Korean companies, and South Korean Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum also attended the inauguration.
He said the bridge would strengthen ties between Turkey and South Korea, adding, “The 1915 Canakkale Bridge will put behind this history of collisions and conflicts and be a bridge between East and West and a new era of peace and… of prosperity.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, pictured above, said at the opening ceremony in March, “Turkey has overtaken Japan, which has the world’s longest bridge in terms of central span, and has taken first place.” South Korean Prime Minister Kim Boo- kyum is seen here to the left of the Turkish President
The dedication ceremony coincided with the 107th anniversary of Turkey’s naval victory in World War I over a joint British and French fleet that attacked the Dardanelles. Pictured above is Erdogan delivering a speech during the event