Turkey Inaugurates The Landmark 1915 Çanakkale Bridge

On 18 March 2022, the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge was put into operation after years of work, since its foundations date back to 2017. Located in the province of Çanakkale in northwestern Turkey, the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge earned the title of the world’s widest middle span suspension bridge. 

The bridge is located just south of the coastal towns of Lapseki and Gelibolu and spans the Dardanelles Strait, about 10 km south of the Sea of Marmara. The bridge connects with a system of highways that surround the Marmara Sea, which is home to nearly one-third of Turkey’s population and a region that hosts major industrial and commercial hubs.  

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Turkish Republic, this structure was designed with a length of 3.563 metres, a main span of 2.023 metres, and side spans of 770 metres each. The overall crossing length is 4.608 metres when the 365- and 680-metre approach viaducts are added. Also known as the Suspension Bridge, the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge has 2×3 traffic lanes. The bridge deck is a dual deck with a width of 45,06 metres and a height of 3,5 metres. 

The tower foundations rest freely on the Asian side at a depth of -45 metres, and the improved seafloor rests at a depth of -37 metres on the European side. Its steel towers are considered the highest ones in the world, as they measure 318 metres and can reach a height of 334 metres above sea level, when considered together with a 16-metre architectural cannonball figure. The steel tower’s height of the 1915 engineers have kept the configuration of the bridge to stand for symbolic values.