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 is the famous Bosphorus - the strait, which is one of the wonders not only of Istanbul, but of the whole of Turkey. This amazing place can be safely called the heart of the city. Tourists from all over the world come here to admire the beauties of the city, take a walk along the outskirts of the strait or sail through it by boat.
By the way, the name "Bosphorus" has been given to the strait since ancient times. It translates as "cow bridge". Not a very sonorous name, but it is it that is mentioned in ancient Greek myths. According to legend, the ruler of Olympus Zeus fell in love with a mere mortal Io. But the jealous wife of the Thunderer Hera turned the beauty into a cow and sent a huge and vicious hornet at her. Cow Io had no rest from this scoundrel until she saw the strait, which became her salvation. And the strait got thanks to this incidentsuch is the "cow" name. It is not known whether this is true or fiction, but we can only believe, because there is no evidence for this.
The favorite place of many travelers seeking to see the Bosphorus is the East Bridge. It was built by the great Persian king Darius more than 2500 years ago. The 700,000th army of the ruler crossed this bridge for the first time.
Since ancient times, the Bosphorus has played an important role in the development of trade and navigation. Its excellent location attracted the attention of the Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans focused on this strait: they built huge castles, fortresses, residences and villas near it. Undoubtedly, it was unrealistic to cover the entire strait in one run, so the troops divided it into several parts. First, fishing villages were built along the banks, then fortresses and palaces were already built. All this contributed to the prosperity of the empire on the shores of the Bosphorus.
If you look at the Bosphorus on the map, you will get the impression that the two continents are practically converging together. Some scientists even called it the narrowest strait in the whole world. The strait is 30 meters long and 120 meters deep.
As mentioned above, the Bosphorus is the main trading hub of the country. It is often referred to as the "Golden Horn". Thanks to the strait, the trade and economic sea routes of Turkey with neighboring states were born.
Today the Bosphorus is a strait with international status. Vessels sail on it in both directions. Travelers can often spot wreckage there.sunken ships and other interesting things. While walking along the strait, you can learn a lot about it. For example, the Turks call the fast flow of the strait the "damn current". It is very fast and dangerous, it begins to rage with the advent of spring, when the snow begins to melt in the Danube river basin. Rapid streams rush along the banks, foaming the water as if during a boil. The Bosphorus is a controversial "creature". It flows simultaneously in two completely different directions: from the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara and vice versa.
Despite the many wars witnessed by the Bosphorus, the strait still fascinates tourists. It is especially beautiful during sunset. At this moment, the city around the strait is changing beyond recognition. In the darkness of standing ships at sunset, you can see how bright lights are lit on the hills. The voices of muezzins are heard in the air, performing evening prayers. Hagia Sophia rises directly above the city, like a ship's mast. This amazing Bosphorus is a real treasure stored in the heart of Istanbul!
