The brilliant engineering behind the longest suspension bridge in the world
A brand-new, majestic suspension bridge in Turkey stretches across the bustling Dardanelles waterway, which connects the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara. The bridge, which cost $2.8 billion to build, is officially the longest suspension bridge in the world at 2,023 meters long, taking the title from Japan's 1,992-meter-long Akashi Kaikyo Bridge.
Named the '1915 Çanakkale Bridge' after Turkey's World War I naval victory over a British and French fleet, the massive structure was created by consulting group COWI for contractor DLSY to connect Turkey's European and Asian shores and is now open to traffic over the Dardanelles waterway. According to COWI, the 318-meter-high red towers from which the steel deck of the bridge is hung are also the highest of any suspension bridge in the world.
The bridge allows tourists to cross the river in six minutes, as opposed to the traditional 90-minute ferry ride, which included waiting times of up to five hours. If you want to learn more about the brilliant engineering behind this colossal structure, make sure you watch the video by the YouTube channel The B1M embedded above, and as always, enjoy.