The reservoir is part of the Mediterranean basin. The average width of the strait varies around two kilometers, and the minimum is 695 meters. This makes the Bosphorus the narrowest on Earth.
The strait is located on the territory of the Republic of Turkey. It has enormous economic and strategic importance for most countries. The passage of ships through the reservoir is regulated by the International Convention. Ship owners pay a "lighthouse fee" - finances used for the normal functioning of navigation systems and signs. Every year, an average of 55 ships pass through here.
On the southern side of the Bosphorus is located Istanbul. It is the only city that is located on two continents at once – Europe and Asia. Millions of tourists come to see historical monuments that have been well preserved to this day. Bridges have been built over the strait, and tunnels under it. All the largest cruise liners depart from the main port of Istanbul, Karakoy.
Photos taken from space clearly show that the strait has separated a once solid territory of the earth. The two banks are absolutely identical, as if they were broken by hands. This means that in ancient times a real natural catastrophe occurred here. Researchers assume that this event occurred 11 years ago, after a strong and sharp thawing of glaciers and a rise in water levels across the planet. A strong earthquake could also have contributed to this. Perhaps this catastrophe was described as the Great Flood.
There are many legends about the name of the strait. The main one says that the Greek god Zeus fell in love with an earthly woman, Io. Then his wife, the goddess Hera, having learned about the betrayal, began to look for her all over the world. But Zeus turned the beauty into a cow, and she passed through a narrow strait to hide in the mountains. Therefore, Bosphorus means "cow ford".
In the 7th century BC, on the southern side of the Bosphorus, Greek residents began to build the city of Byzantium. On the opposite bank, they built a lighthouse and threw a huge chain across the reservoir. This is how the first control over the strait appeared. Many kings tried to seize control over the strait until Emperor Constantine conquered the city. He called it Constantinople. When the Turks came to these lands under the rule of Mehmed, they called the territory Istanbul.
Herodotus wrote that the first bridge across the strait was built by Mandrocles on the orders of King Darius. He was going with a huge army to conquer Scythia. 25 years later, Xerxes, the son of the Persian ruler, went to war with Great Greece. Two bridges, hastily built by slaves, were washed away by the current, but the third stood, and this led to the death of the entire army at Marathon.
To see the uniqueness of the Bosphorus, you need to go on a cruise liner to the ports of Turkey and other countries. The speed limit (20 kilometers per hour) will give you the opportunity to see all the sights without rushing.
The first thing you will see is the Sultan Selim Bridge. This is a unique engineering structure, almost 60 meters wide. The highway has eight lanes for cars and two railways. Steel cables hold the bridge, and their weight is almost 30 tons.
As you approach Istanbul, you will see palaces and villas on both banks, built during the reign of the Ottoman emperors. They were intended for recreation, and most of them have now received the status of architectural monuments.
Even closer to the city, on either side of you, begin the mighty towers and fortresses that served as protection for ancient Constantinople. From here, you can even see the Cathedral of Saint Sophia.
