Bosphorus - Bosporus

The Bosphorus is the strait between the Black Sea and the Sea of ​​Marmara. She separates Europe of Asia and divides the city Istanbul into a European and Asian part. This article looks at the piers and ferry lines on the Bosphorus, the Golden Horn and in Istanbul on the Sea of ​​Marmara and sights on the banks.

The Bosphorus from above

background

Map of Bosphorus

The Bosphorus has a total length of about 30 kilometers, and the width varies between 700 to 2500 meters. In the middle it is between 36 and 124 meters (near Bebek) deep.

On the surface, the water flows from the Black Sea towards the Mediterranean, at a depth of around 40 meters a weaker undercurrent flows in the opposite direction. The average speed is 3 knots, about 5.5 km / h, in places even up to 8 knots, almost 15 km / h. Due to its water-rich tributaries, such as the Danube, Dnepr, Dniester, Don, Southern Bug, etc., the Black Sea has an excess of water. In the Mediterranean, more water evaporates than is added by the rivers, which creates a water shortage. The undercurrent is caused by the twice as high salinity of the water of the Mediterranean, which makes the water heavier and flows back at the bottom. In rare southerly winds it can even happen that the water current on the surface turns and flows in reverse.

The tides are very weak in the Bosphorus.

Bridges and tunnels

Three suspension bridges cross the Bosphorus: the Bosphorus Bridge (1973), the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge (1988) and the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge (2016) at the northern exit of the Bosphorus. The bridges are multi-lane for road traffic and are subject to tolls.

In October 2013 a rail tunnel was opened under the Bosporus. The full commissioning of the project Marmaray, i.e. the connection of the tunnel with the Turkish rail network on both sides of the Bosporus, is planned for 2019.

Eurasia tunnel

At the southern end of the Bosporus, the first road tunnel was drilled under the Bosporus from 2011 to the end of 2016. The 5.4 kilometer long tunnel is the first road tunnel to connect the European district of Kazlıçeşme with the Asian district of Göztepe. At its deepest point, the tunnel floor is 106 m below the surface of the water. Only cars and minibuses are allowed to drive through the tunnel.

  • Eurasia tunnel (Turkish Avrasya Tüp Tüneli) (In Europe at Kennedy Caddesi, in Asia at Harem İskele Caddesi). is a 5.4 kilometer long road tunnel under the Bosporus. The passage is blocked for trucks, buses, motorcycles and bicycles. The tunnel shortens the travel time compared to the bridge by around 1.5 hours.Price: car 19.20 TL, minibus 28.80 TL.last change: May 2018
    • 1 In Europe at Kennedy Caddesi
    • 2 In Asia at the İskele harem

  • Eurasia Tunnel - entrance from Kazlıçeşme

shipping

Passenger and car ferries run regularly between the European and Asian parts of the city. Passenger ships also operate on the Golden Horn and between the mainland and the Prince Islands. In addition, the entire cargo ship traffic between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea runs through the Bosporus. Furthermore, Istanbul is too 3 Docking point for cruise ships, which moor near the center of the Istanbul Modern Museum.

There are the city ship operations I DO and the private ship operator Turyol which approach the ship piers and other smaller companies.

Different Bosporus trips are offered, short or long tours, public or private, moonlight trips where the ships do not leave until the evening. Tours on the Bosphorus are among others from Dentur Avrasya Group offered. The easiest way to go on a Bosphorus tour is to be approached at a ferry pier or somewhere else.

The Bosporus is one of the busiest waterways in the world, with an average of more than 250 cargo ships, oil tankers and other ships navigating the bottleneck. The view of the water is never boring, some ship always sails by.

Regular events

Flowering Judas trees near Rumeli Hisarı
  • At the end of April and beginning of May the Judas tree, Erguvan, in full bloom. Numerous Judas trees were planted along the banks of the Bosphorus, so during this time the strong purple color dominated the banks. A boat tour of the Bosphorus is the best way to see and enjoy this event.
  • Once a year there is the opportunity at Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swimming Race from Asia to Europe, to swim across the Bosporus. On a Sunday in July, around 1,600 people (the number is limited, early registration required) swim the 6.5-kilometer route.
  • Turkey celebrates its foundation on October 29th. The highlight on National holiday takes place in the evening between Maiden's Tower and the Bosphorus Bridge. The celebration begins at 7 p.m. with a light show, from 7.30 p.m. the big fireworks on Ortaköy Square, which reaches a height of up to 250 m above the Bosphorus, with corresponding background music.

On the European side

View from the Bosphorus to the skyline of Beşiktaş and Şişli on the European side

Eminonu

  • 4 Boğaz İskelesi - Şehir Hatları Bosphorus Ferries, Boğaziçi YolTur Dock, and hour and a half Bosphorus cruises.
  • 5 Hezarfen Ahmet Çelebi İskelesi - Frequent Şehir-Hatları ferries to Üsküdar on the Asian side. If you just want to take a short trip across the Bosphorus, just jump on board and drive back straight away.
  • 6 Kadıköy (Evliya Çelebi) İskelesi - Şehir Hatları ferries to Kadikoy every 15 or 20 minutes. Ferries from Karakoy / Galata, at the northern end of the Galata Bridge, also go to Kadikoy
  • 7 Katib Çelebi İskelesi - This dock is now a bookstore and souvenir shop.
  • 8 Harem Araba İskelesi - This car ferry also takes passengers across the Bosphorus to Harem Otogar, the intercity bus terminal on the Asian shore.

Karakoy

  • 9 Karakoy Pier
  • 1 Istanbul Modern in an old warehouse in the port of Karaköy with permanent and changing exhibitions of pictures by Turkish artists from the 19th century to the present day.

Kabataş

The landing stage of the Ferries is in 10 Kabataş, just a few steps from the Füniküler funicular. It leads from the valley station on the Bosporus to the mountain station on Taksim Square. The journey is about half a kilometer, overcomes 75 meters in altitude and takes 110 seconds.

In addition to the landing stage, there is a connection to the T1 tram line.

Istanbul Line Icon T1.png

The Tramvay T1 tram line runs from Kabataş Findikli, Tophane, Karaköy, further over the Galata Bridge past many sights to Bağcilar

  • The 11 Dolmabahce Mosque, Ömer Avni Mh. 34427 İstanbul
  • The 2 Dolmabahce Sarayi is a magnificent sultan's palace with lots of original furnishings right on the banks of the Bosphorus. Guided tours are offered for viewing.
  • 12 Resim ve Heykel Müzesi - Museum of Painting and Sculpture
  • 13 Deniz Müzesi - Naval Museum

  • Dolmabahce Palace

  • Dolmabahce Mosque

Beşiktaş

The landing stage 14 Beşiktaş for the ferries

  • Speedboats (Deniz Motor) the Dentur Avrasya Group operate daily according to the principle of shared taxis to Üsküdar 6.20 a.m. - 1.30 a.m.
  • The
    3  Ortakoy mosque, Mecidiye Mh. 34347 İstanbul.
  • The
    4  Etz Ahayim Synagogue, Muallim Naci Cad. No: 6, Beşiktaş / Istanbul.
  • The Orthodox St. Fokas Church
    5  Ortaköy Ayios Fokas Rum Ortodoks Kilisesi, Ortaköy Meydanı, 34347 Istanbul.
  • The fortress
    6  Rumeli Hisari. Rumeli Hisari in the Wikipedia encyclopediaRumeli Hisari in the media directory Wikimedia CommonsRumeli Hisari (Q90801) in the Wikidata database.on the Bosporus forms the border with the Sariyer district.
  • The 7  Yıldız Park

  • Ortakoy mosque

  • The Rumeli fortress

Ortakoy

  • 15 Ortaköy pier

First Bosphorus Bridge

The 8 Bosphorus bridge, Boğaz Köprüsü or Birinci Boğaziçi Köprüsü was opened in 1973 and connects the districts of Beşiktaş and Üsküdar with each other. It is a suspension bridge with six lanes, two emergency lanes and a footpath, a total of 33.4 m wide. It has a total length of 1560 m and the span between the two steel pylons is 1074 m. The pylons are 165 m high and the clearance under the bridge is 64 m.

  • The First Bosphorus Bridge from the Water

  • and from the country.

Arnavutkoy

The landing stage 16 Arnavutköy for the ferries

Bebek

The landing stage 17 Bebek for the ferries

Second Bosphorus Bridge

The 9 Second Bosphorus Bridge, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Köprüsü, or İkinci Boğaziçi Köprüsü was opened in 1988 and connects the districts of Rumelihisan and Otağtepe. It is a suspension bridge with eight lanes and a footpath on both sides, a total of 39.4 m wide. It has a total length of 1510 m and the span between the two steel pylons is 1090 m. The pylons are 210 m high and the clearance under the bridge is 64 m.

  • 10 Sakıp Sabancı Museum from Sabancı University in Emirgan, Ottoman calligraphy and paintings.

  • The Second Bosphorus Bridge, European side

  • Asian side

  • and from the country.

Yenikoy

The landing stage 18 Yeniköy for the ferries

The ferry to Beykoz across the street costs 2.50 TL (2016) and has to be paid for in cash, the Istanbul Card cannot be used.

There are beautiful 19th century houses along the promenade.

  • 11 Austrian Consulate General - Avusturya Başkonsolosluğu

Sarıyer

  • 19 Landing stage Sarıyer. In Eminönü am Boğaz İskelesi a ferry leaves at 6:10 p.m. (as of 03/2016) along the European side of the Bosporus to Sarıyer. The trip takes about 75 minutes and there are drinks on board. The price is cheap, you can pay with the Istanbul Card. The way back is not until 7:00 a.m. the next morning.

Rumeli Kavağı

The landing stage 20 Rumeli Kavağı for the ferries

Third Bosphorus Bridge

The 12 Third Bosphorus Bridge, Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, Yavuz Sultan Selim Köprüsü leads to the new Istanbul Airport and connects the O-3 / E 80 motorway coming from Edirne with the O-4 / E 80 motorway going to Ankara. It is a combined suspension and cable-stayed bridge with four lanes on both sides in the middle separated by a double-track railway line, a total of 59 m wide. It has a total length of 1875 m and the span between the two steel pylons is 1408 m, the pylons are 320 m high.

Black Sea

On the Asian side

  • The symbol of Üsküdar is 13 Maiden's Tower (Turkish: Kız Kulesi), a lighthouse in the Bosphorus, which today houses a restaurant and a café are located.

harem

21 Harem ferry dock

Üsküdar

22 Üsküdar ferry terminal

  • Speedboats (Deniz Motor) der Dentur Avrasya Group operate daily according to the principle of shared taxis
    • Beşiktaş 6:10 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.
    • Monday - Friday after Kabataş 6.45am - midnight
    • Weekends and public holidays after Kabataş 7 a.m. - midnight

  • The landing stage at Üsküdar iskelesi

Kuzguncuk

  • 23 Kuzguncuk ferry terminal
  • 1 Kanaat Lokantası - Fish restaurant right on the Bosphorus, next to the Kuzguncuk ferry pier.

First Bosphorus Bridge

  • 14 Beylerbeyi Sarayı (Beylerbeyi Palace), served as the summer residence for Sultan Abdülaziz. It is best accessed from Beylerbeyi Pier.

  • The Beylerbeyi Palace

Beylerbeyi

24 Beylerbeyi ferry terminal

Çengelköy

25 Çengelköy ferry terminal

Kandilli

26 Kandilli ferry terminal

Küçüksu

27 Küçüksu ferry terminal

  • 15 The Ottoman Summer Palace Küçük Su Kasrı, or Küçüksu Palace directly on the Bosporus is the birthplace of Prince Sabahaddin. The beautiful, luxurious Ottoman palace is built entirely of white marble. In the past the sultans only came for one-day trips, so there is not a single bed in the palace. In the palace were scenes for the James Bond film The world is Not Enough turned.

  • The summer palace Küçük Su Kasrı

Anadolu Hisari

28 Anadolu Hisarı ferry terminal

  • 16 Anadolu Hisarı, the Anatolian fortress was built between 1393 and 1394 as one of the first Ottoman castles by Sultan Bayezid I. From here, together with Rumeli Hisarı, who is lying on the European shore of the Bosporus, the shipping traffic on the Bosporus was controlled.

Second Bosphorus Bridge

Kanlıca

29 Kanlıca ferry terminal

Beykoz

30 Beykoz ferry terminal

The ferry to Yeniköy across the street costs 2.50 TL (2016) and has to be paid in cash on arrival, the Istanbul Card cannot be used.

Anadolu Kavağı

31 Anadolu Kavağı. There are many small restaurants and cafes right on the pier.

  • On the slope, on the way (15 minutes uphill) to a castle ruin, there are more restaurants with a wonderful view. From the former Byzantine castle 17 Yoros Kalesi you have a good view of the exit of the Bosphorus and the new bridge.

Third Bosphorus Bridge

Black Sea

The golden horn

The Golden Horn is a long bay that used to be a natural harbor.

Galata Bridge

  • the Galata Bridge at night

  • Fish sandwich restaurant under the Galata Bridge

Eminonu

  • 32 TurYol Eminönü İskelesi - TurYol boats to the Bosphorus, Üsküdar, Haydarpasa and Kadiköy.
  • 33 Eminönü Haliç İskelesi - Boarding point for Şehir Hatları Golden Horn ferries and cruises.

Karakoy

  • 34 Turyol Karaköy-kadıköy Üsküdar İskelesi
  • 35 Kasımpaşa Pier

Fener

  • 36 Fener landing stage

Haskoy

  • 37 Haskoy jetty

Ayvansaray

  • 38 Ayvansaray pier

Sütlüce

  • 39 Sütlüce landing stage

Eyup

  • 40 Pier Eyüp terminus

Istanbul in and on the Marmara Sea

On the European shore

Yenikapı

41 Yenikapı Pier - Bursa

42 Yenikapı Pier - Bandırma

Bakırköy

43 Bakırköy pier, also known as Avcılar

On the Asian bank

Kadıköy

The former 44 Haydarpaşa Garı Railway Station, in which all trains from the east ended, was built in 1908 by the German architects and in earlier times was the starting point of the Baghdad Railway. It was here that Florence Nightingale gained her reputation as the "Lady with the Lamp" during the Crimean War. After the railway tunnel under the Bosporus went into operation, the building is currently cordoned off.

45 Haydarpaşa Pier, Ferry to Karakoy

46 Karaköy, Kadıköy and Eminönü jetties

47 Karaköy, Eminönü and Kabataş jetties

48 Beşiktaş and Adalar Pier49 Karakoy Pier

50 Bakırköy and Bostancı Pier

  • Haydarpaşa Garı Railway Station

  • Karaköy and Eminönü landing stages

Bostancı

51 Bostancı pier

Kartal

52 Kartal landing stage

Pendik

53 Pendik pier

Adalar

Map of the Prince Islands

The Prince Islands are the district Adalar from Istanbul. The district consists of four inhabited and five uninhabited islands. The inhabited islands are Büyükada, Heybeliada, Burgazada and Kınalıada. In general, one speaks here of the Prince Islands and these are a popular destination for the residents of Istanbul.

Landing points:

  • 54 Kınalıada Pier
  • 55 Burgazada pier
  • 56 Heybeliada pier
  • 57 Buyukada pier and 58 Buyukada pier
  • 59 Sedef Adasi landing stage

  • Büyükada ferry terminal

Map of the Districts of Istanbul.png
Istanbul
Usable articleThis is a useful article. There are still some places where information is missing. If you have something to add be brave and complete them.