The Bosphorus
About The Bosphorus
The Bosphorus is a natural strait that connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara and eventually, through the Dardanelles strait, with the Mediterranean. It separates parts of Asian Turkey (Anatolia) from European Turkey.
Significance of the Strait
It has played a major role in the maritime world for centuries. It is a very busy waterway with many ships and oil tankers going through it. It is heavily fished since it is a two-way passage for fish, acting as an ecological tunnel between the Mediterranean and Black Sea.
Legend of the Bosphorus
Bosphorus comes from a Thracian word meaning “passage of the cow” and is traditionally connected with the legendary figure of Io who was one of the many lovers of Zeus. When Hera, the wife of Zeus, became suspicious, Zeus in haste to hide his affair transformed Io into a cow. He sent her away from Hera’s rage. Io swam across the strait but Hera sent flies to sting and bother Io all the time, ending Io in the Aegean Sea, thus named Ionian Sea.
Interesting Facts
- The Bosphorus is 30km long, with a varying width from 500m to 3km and an average depth of 60m.
- Three suspension bridges have been built across the strait and a rail tunnel under.
- There are two types of fish in the Bosphorus – migratory and sedentary fish.
