World’s Longest Suspension Bridge Opens in Turkey, Linking Europe and Asia

On Friday, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, along with the South Korean Prime Minister and various other officials, officially inaugurated an immense suspension bridge that spans the Dardanelles Strait, connecting Turkey's European and Asian shores.

Previously, people and vehicles had to make the crossing by ferry, an hour-and-a-half journey that could take up to five hours, inclusive of wait time. Now, travelers can make it across in just six minutes, Reuters reported. The president said that the toll for passenger vehicles to use the bridge will be 200 Turkish lira ($13.60).

The bridge's official launch date holds special significance, as March 18 marked the 107th anniversary of a World War I battle waged in 1915 by the Ottoman Empire (as Turkey was then known) against joint British and French forces for control of the Dardenelles.

Several of the bridge's technical specifications actually hold symbolic meaning. Its record-breaking midspan of 2,023 meters (1.25 miles) alludes to the upcoming centenary of the establishment of the Turkish Republic in 2023, following the fall of the Ottoman Empire. Its towers measure 318 meters (1,043 feet) high, a nod to the date (March 18, or 3/18) on which Turkey honors its soldiers who were killed in the WWI battles at Gallipoli.