Bosporus - the strait at the cross of the continents

The magnificent and unique city of Istanbul, the capital of the Turkish state, is located right at the junction of two continents. And between them - the famous Bosporus - the strait, which is among the wonders of not only Istanbul, but all of Turkey. This amazing place can be called the heart of the city. Tourists from all corners of the Earth come here to admire the beauty of the city, take a walk along the outskirts of the strait or swim along it in a boat.

By the way, the name "Bosporus" strait has been received since ancient times. It is translated as a "cow bridge". Not very sonorous name, but it is mentioned in the ancient Greek myths. According to legend, the lord of Olympus Zeus fell in love with a simple mortal Io. But the jealous wife of the thunderer Hera turned the beauty into a cow and sent her a huge and vicious hornet. Io's cow did not rest from this scoundrel until he saw the strait, which became her salvation. And the strait received thanks to this incident is such a "cow" name. True or fiction is unknown, and we can only believe, because there is no evidence of this.

A favorite place for many travelers looking to see the Bosphorus is the East Bridge. It was built by the great Persian king Darius more than 2500 years ago. On this bridge the 700,000-strong army of the ruler was first marched.

Since ancient times, the Bosporus Strait has played a crucial role in the development of trade and navigation. Its excellent location attracted the attention of the Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans emphasized precisely this strait: they built huge castles, fortresses, residences and villas near it. Undoubtedly, it was unrealistic to cover the whole strait for one sunset, so the troops divided it into several parts. First, fishing villages were built along the shores, then fortresses and palaces were erected. All this contributed to the prosperity of the empire on the shores of the Bosphorus Strait.

If you look at the Bosporus Strait on the map, you will get the impression that the two continents practically converge. Some scientists even called it the narrowest strait in the whole world. The length of the strait is 30 meters, and the depth is 120 meters.

As mentioned above, the Bosporus Strait is the main trade hub of the country. It is often called the Golden Horn. Thanks to the strait, Turkey's trade and economic sea routes with neighboring states were born.

Today the Bosporus is a strait with international status. On it ships sail in both directions. Travelers often can see there wreckage wrecks and other interesting things. While walking along the strait you can learn a lot about it. For example, the Turks call the rapid flow of the strait a "devil's current". It is very fast and dangerous, raging begins with the arrival of spring, when snow begins to melt in the basin of the Danube River. Swift streams rushes along the coast, foaming water as during boiling. The Bosphorus is a contradictory "creation." It flows simultaneously in two completely different directions: from the Black Sea to the Marble and vice versa.

Despite numerous wars, witnessed by the Bosporus, the strait still fascinates tourists. Especially it is beautiful during sunset. At this point, the city around the strait is changing beyond recognition. In the darkness of standing vessels during sunset you can see how bright lights on the hills turn on. The voices of the muezzins performing the evening prayer sound in the air . St. Sofia rises directly above the city, like a ship's mast. This amazing Bosporus Strait is a real treasure, stored in the heart of Istanbul!