Atatürk Bridge

Atatürk Bridge
Atatürk Köprüsü

Atatürk Bridge as seen from the Galata Tower
Crosses Golden Horn
Locale Unkapanı–Azapkapı, Istanbul, Turkey
Official name Atatürk Köprüsü
Other name(s) Ataturk Bridge
Unkapanı Bridge
Owner Metropolitan Municipality of Istanbul
Characteristics
Total length 477 m (1,565 ft)
Width 25 m (82 ft)
History
Construction begin 1936
Construction end 1940
Replaces Third bridge (1912–1936)
Second bridge (1875–1912)
First bridge (1836–1875)

Atatürk Bridge, alternatively known as the Unkapanı Bridge, is a highway bridge on the Golden Horn in Istanbul, Turkey. It is named after Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder and first President of the Republic of Turkey.

It was originally completed in 1836, named Hayratiye Bridge, and connected the quarters of Unkapanı and Azapkapı. The construction of the Hayratiye Bridge was ordered by the Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II and supervised by Ahmed Fevzi Pasha, the Deputy Admiral of the Ottoman Fleet, at the Imperial Naval Arsenal (Tersâne-i Âmire) on the Golden Horn. The opening was personally attended by Sultan Mahmud II in 1836, who crossed the bridge on his horse. The original bridge was circa 400 meters long and 10 meters wide, and was built as a bascule bridge to accommodate the passage of large ships.

In 1875 it was replaced by a second bridge, made of iron and constructed by a French company at the price of 135,000 Ottoman gold liras. It was 480 meters long and 18 meters wide, and remained in service between 1875 and 1912, when it was demolished due to reaching the end of its service life.

In 1912, the nearby Third Galata Bridge was disassembled and was reassembled at the site of the demolished Hayratiye Bridge, becoming the third bridge on this site. It was used until 1936, when it was damaged by a storm.

The current (fourth) bridge on this site was constructed between 1936 and 1940, and entered service in 1940 with the name Atatürk Bridge. It is 477 meters long and 25 meters wide.

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Coordinates: 41°01′27.1″N 28°57′55.1″E / 41.024194°N 28.965306°E / 41.024194; 28.965306

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