Tag: Bosphorus

Trail of the unexpected: Along the Bosphorus

Cathy Packe explores lively districts and historic sites along both sides of the Bosphorus

Saturday, 25 June 2011

Reuters Water delight: The suburb of Ortakoy, underneath the Bosphorus Bridge

The world’s most spectacular continental divide? Surely the Bosphorus, the 19-mile waterway that defines Istanbul. On the European side, the Topkapi Palace presides over the southern limit, while the minarets of great mosques puncture the sky. Every visitor to the city should take a ferry across the divide from the Eminonu quay, from where boats shuttle constantly to several ports on the Asian side: choose Harem to see the Selimiye Barracks, where Florence Nightingale was based, or Uskudar for the small but attractive Semsi Pasa mosque, designed by a major architect of the Ottoman Empire, Mimar Sinan.

For centuries the Bosphorus has been a strategic link between the Black Sea and Russia to the north and the Mediterranean – via the Sea of Marmara and the Aegean – in the south. The best way to appreciate its significance is to wander its length.

On Sunday mornings, amateur fishermen cast their lines into the water, then wait patiently for something to bite. Buckets of small fish, destined to be fried for supper, attract the attention of curious children, while families buy chestnuts or mussels from stalls along the waterfront.

The usual visitor experience of the Bosphorus is on one of the cruise boats that depart from Eminonu pier. But while there is plenty to see from the water, I decided on a closer exploration, to get to the mouth of the strait by staying, mostly, on dry land.

The bustling streets that skirt the European shore soon turn into a pleasant promenade and calmer suburbs: Ortakoy with its waterside bars, and Arnavutkoy, full of attractive cafés. Glamorous summer houses and chic restaurants mask the fact that for centuries the Bosphorus has been one of the most bitterly contested waterways in history.

The Roman Emperor Constantine was aware of its strategic significance when he chose the site of his new capital, Constantinople, in the 4th century; and even before they conquered the city some 1,100 years later, the Ottomans started building fortifications along the water.

Rumeli Hisari, “the Fortress of Europe”, looks more like a pleasure palace than a defensive site, cascading as it does down the hillside and stopping just before it tumbles into the water. Now, deeply crenellated walls surrounding a series of towers are all that is left. Trees and shrubs have taken over the interior, leaving space only for a recently constructed amphitheatre which is used for outdoor concerts in the summer. But when it was built by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1452, the fortress was a prominent statement of his intention to advance on Constantinople.

Just beyond Rumeli Hisari is the newer of the two suspension bridges that span the Bosphorus, a useful intercontinental link for trucks and cars but which is off limits to pedestrians. Yet private enterprise is flourishing on both continents, and I was soon directed towards the waterfront and a local boatman. I clambered into his small craft, quickly followed by a family of eight. Together we chugged across the water from Europe to Asia, groaning occasionally as we were buffeted by wash from larger vessels.

The boat skirted past Anadolu Hisari, the Asian counterpart of the European fortress, and moored at the tiny landing stage at Kanlica. A cat lay sleeping on a bench. An elderly man was selling bread rolls from a stall near the ferry stop, and a small market was doing a brisk trade in hats and cheap jewellery.

On the road beyond I found a bus heading north. Beside the water were family groups enjoying a weekend barbecue, but as the bus turned inland through dense pine forest, soldiers on patrol behind walls of sandbags provided a stark reminder that the shore is fiercely guarded territory.

At the end of the road is Yoros Castle, a striking structure built in alternating horizontal stripes of stone and brick, a typical Byzantine design. Despite the presence of the military around the headland, this is the perfect spot to find peace and quiet. The silence is broken by a couple of donkeys braying in the distance. The view is of the open sea merging gently into the horizon.

In the past, chains stretched across the mouth of the Bosphorus where it met the Black Sea. Imposing fortifications on both sides of the water would have made sailing south a hazardous affair. Now, all it takes is a pleasant afternoon cruise.

Below Yoros Castle is the picturesque village of Anadolu Kavagi, with its popular fish restaurants overlooking the water. I headed downhill to wait for the ferry that would take me back to Istanbul. The trip afforded me a different perspective, and a sense of just how close Europe and Asia are at the narrowest point in the strait. And although I’d crossed from one continent to the other on my journey north, it was good to experience the Bosphorus as so many visitors – from Phoenicians to 21st-century tourists – have done: from the water.

Travel essentials: Istanbul

Getting there

* The main airport, Ataturk, is served by Turkish Airlines (020-7471 6666; turkishairlines.com) from Heathrow, Stansted, Birmingham and Manchester and BA (0844 493 0787; ba.com) from Heathrow. Sabiha Gokcen Airport is served by Turkish Airlines and Pegasus (0845 084 8980; flypgs.com) from Stansted, and by easyJet (0905 821 0905; easyjet.com) from Luton and Gatwick.

Staying there

* The writer travelled as a guest of Hilton Hotels and stayed at the Hilton Istanbul (00 90 212 315 6000; hilton.co.uk), on the European side of the Bosphorus at Cumhuriyet Caddesi Harbiye. Doubles start at €260 including breakfast.

More information

* Britons must pay £10 (in cash) for a visa on arrival.

* Tourist Office: 020-7839 7778; gototurkey.co.uk.

June 25, 2011
Sir Brian Souter in buy-out of Turkish ferry operator

Stagecoach transport mogul Sir Brian Souter has led a buy-out of Istanbul’s main ferry operator for £528m.

The sale by the Turkish city’s government includes 52 vessels that transport more than 50 million people each year, across the Bosphorus and around the Sea of Marmaris.

The sale includes 52 vessels which sail across the Bosphorus and around the Sea of Marmaris

The chief executive of Stagecoach transport group used his investment company to lead the buyout.

His investor group has a 30% stake in Istanbul Deniz Otobuslen (IDO) ferries.

Souter Investments is partnered by Ann Gloag, Sir Brian’s sister and co-founder of Perth-based Stagecoach, Edinburgh financier Sir Angus Grossart and three Turkish-based companies, including the operator of the country’s largest airport.

The sale, denominated in US dollars at $861m, includes 25 sea buses, 19 fast ferries and 17 conventional ferries.

There are nine inter-city and five inner-city lines serving 35 piers, with sales last year of £142m.

‘New heights’

Newly-knighted Sir Brian said: “I am confident we will take IDO to new heights of success by improving everything from fast ferry frequency to catering.

“Our goal is to ensure motorists opt for seabus and ferry transportation, rather than making long and frustrating road journeys in and around the congested Istanbul road network.”

Souter Investments also owns two urban bus companies and a ferry operator in New Zealand.

Last week, the investment firm launched a new express coach service between Berlin, Bratislava, Prague and Vienna.

Souter Investments extend to stakes in yacht-builder Sunseeker International, insurance company esure and the price comparison website gocompare.com.

Other competitors for the IDO ferry operator included international ferry operator Stena and Turkey’s largest conglomerate, Koc Holding.

via BBC News – Sir Brian Souter in buy-out of Turkish ferry operator.

June 19, 2011
Unmissable experiences of Bosphorus cruise

Got a chance of a lifetime to visit one of the most beautiful countries in the world and I quite tried to make the most of the trip. While there were so many things that I explored, one thing that proved to be the most unforgettable was a visit to the Bosphorus, for no Istanbul experience is complete without a cruise up the Bosphorus Strait.

The excitement of sailing through the deep blue tranquil waters of the Bosphorus and taking a ferry ride for the first time was so high that, I was up early in the morning to catch the first ferry, ready and completely charged up to experience the fun of riding on the waves.

Began my journey from the biggest ferry station of the city, Eminonu, by catching the first ferry which leaves at 10:35 am, daily. I was told if one doesn’t wish to catch the first one then, there are other options too. The best options being the one at noon or the last one at 1:35 pm, any day of the week. The best part about these is that they are government-run excursion ferries, they are cheap and best suited for Indian pockets.

I was with a group, so chose the government run excursion ferry but if you have a bigger holiday budget and wish to enjoy this experience with your partner or family in private then, you can even go for a private boats or yachts ride. These have an advantage, though a little costly, these allow you to have some peaceful time with your loved ones, because to enjoy the ride in these government run ferries, one should be smart enough to grab a seat for himself, else the only option you have is, to stand till your last destination. And, you wouldn’t want that, right?

And, the moment of monotony was here- I stood in the queue, waiting for my turn to get into the ferry, the photographer in me couldn’t help but analyse the whole ferry, trying to figure out the best suitable place to capture some beautiful moments. Finally, my turn was here and I decided to take a seat on the top deck to catch a better view of all the sights that came my way.

As soon as I stepped on the ferry, my first reaction, “Oh God! It’s so overcrowded” and my ten minutes of planning went in vain. My smile and excitement were gone and after seeing the crowd on the lower deck, I could very well imagine the condition that waited for me on the top deck. But still, I decided to try my luck at-least once, to make some space for myself and my little camera. While moving towards the staircase, leading to the top deck of the ferry, I was only thinking of ways to convince people at allow me to sit with them and click some photographs. Never thought that a ferry ride would make me think of so many excuses!

After a little struggle on the staircase, I finally reached the top deck, and the breathtaking view of the Bosphorus and its surroundings said it all, bringing back the smile that got lost. My mission of finding a seat still remained unaccomplished but strangely, I had nothing left to complain about. With all my humility, I chose to move forward and stand at one corner, only after struggling to find my place between great varieties of people- young and old, small and big, belonging to different nationalities.

As my ferry started to zigzag between Asia and Europe, I saw old Ottoman wooden houses, palaces of the late Ottoman period, suspended bridges, medieval castles on the European side and the rolling hills, covered with high perpetual green pine trees on the Asian side.

A striking view of golden sun rays, twinkling like stars on the deep blue calm of the Bosphorus on one side, tall pine trees covering the undulating hills, colourful ancient houses, cool breeze, chirping birds and a spectacular view of the big ‘n’ small ships and ferries, is enough to miss your someone special. The feeling becomes stronger when you see not only young but, even old couples enjoying the romantic surroundings, hugging and kissing their partners. No-matter if you’re single or committed, cruising alone or with a group of colleagues, this feeling will definitely touch your heart once, for this is the magic of the beautiful Strait.

While I stood gazing at the captivating view all around, a honk by the ferry, made me realise that I had reached my final destination. This was an end to my ride but, it gave me a bundle of memories and an unforgettable experience to cherish for a lifetime.

As I stepped out of the ferry satisfied and completely in love with the Bosphorus and its city- Istanbul, a story awaited me. Sukran, my guide, unraveled what lied behind the deep blue waters as we made our way to Eminonu. She told me that the name ‘Bosphorus’ had an epic behind it. According to Greek legend: Zeus, the king of the Gods, who was strongest of the strong; had an affair with a very beautiful woman named ‘Lo’. When Zeus’ jealous wife, Hera discovered his infidelity, she turned Lo into a cow and sent dangerous flies and bugs towards disguised Lo, to sting her. Disturbed Lo, ran from Aegean Sea to the Black Sea, leaving behind a strait which came to be known as ‘The Bosphorus’, where ‘bous’ means cow and ‘phorus’ means crossing place thus, Bosphorus became the ‘cow passageway.’

If you thought that this was enough then, there’s more. Found out some interesting things that I didn’t quite know about the Strait, here are a few of them:

• Another name of the ‘Bosphorus Strait’ is ‘Istanbul Strait’.

• The Strait separates European part of Istanbul from its Asian part, connecting the Sea of Marmara with the Black Sea.

• It is one of the world’s narrowest strait used for international navigation.

• Considered one of the most important waterlines, it’s also the busiest one in the world.

As, a visit to any of the historical monuments or sightseeing spots is crucial for completely exploring and understanding the rich historical and cultural past of a city, in the same way a cruise on theBosphorus, is highly recommended for anyone who wishes to experience the superb view of the magical city of Istanbul.

Image Courtesy: Lovely Mehrotra

June 19, 2011
Turkey Plans New Major Waterway To Bypass Bosporus

by The Associated Press

Enlarge Associated PressMap shows where Turkey plans to build a major waterway

Associated PressMap shows where Turkey plans to build a major waterway

Associated PressTurkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, April 27, 2011. Erdogan announced Wednesday plans to build a major new waterway to reduce traffic on the heavily congested Bosporus. Erdogan said “Canal Istanbul” would be between 28 and 31 miles (40 and 45 kilometers) long and would link the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara in the west of Istanbul, which leads to the Aegean Sea. The banner reads: ” Canal Istanbul is coming.”

Enlarge Associated PressTurkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, April 27, 2011. Erdogan announced Wednesday plans to build a major new waterway to reduce traffic on the heavily congested Bosporus. Erdogan said “Canal Istanbul” would be between 28 and 31 miles (40 and 45 kilometers) long and would link the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara in the west of Istanbul, which leads to the Aegean Sea.

Associated PressTurkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, April 27, 2011. Erdogan announced Wednesday plans to build a major new waterway to reduce traffic on the heavily congested Bosporus. Erdogan said “Canal Istanbul” would be between 28 and 31 miles (40 and 45 kilometers) long and would link the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara in the west of Istanbul, which leads to the Aegean Sea.

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ANKARA, Turkey April 27, 2011, 11:03 am ET

Turkey’s prime minister on Wednesday announced what he called a “crazy and magnificent” plan to build a new waterway to the Black Sea, promising that the tanker-clogged Bosporus through Istanbul would soon be used for sports and boat trips.

The waterway, to be named “Canal Istanbul,” would link the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara, which leads to the Aegean Sea. It would be between 28 and 31 miles (40 and 45 kilometers) long, some 82 feet (25 meters) deep and around 500 feet (150 meters) wide, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during campaigning ahead of elections on June 12.

“We have today embarked on the greatest project of the century,” Erdogan said, adding that it would be a bigger undertaking than the Panama or Suez canals.

The new waterway would be located on the European side of the Bosporus, he said, but would not disclose its exact location or the cost of the gargantuan project. It would be completed by 2023, when Turkey will be celebrating the centenary of the founding of the Turkish republic after the fall of the Ottoman Empire.

“Turkey more than deserves to enter 2023 with such a crazy and magnificent project,” he said to a cheering audience in the city. “Istanbul will become a city with two seas passing through it.”

Erdogan, who is hoping to win a third term in office in June, has promised to announce what he called a “crazy project” for Istanbul since campaigning began earlier this month, keeping Turks guessing for weeks.

Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the Republican People’s Party, brushed off the project, saying construction contracts would only enrich people close to Erdogan’s ruling party.

“They have projects that say ‘How can I make my supporters richer?’,” the Anatolia news agency quoted him as saying. “This nation does not need crazy people, but people who think.”

Town planners speculated the canal would be built west of the town of Silivri in Turkey’s Thrace region, since areas closer to Istanbul are heavily populated. The government has already announced plans to build a new airport near Silivri.

Erdogan said hazardous materials from tankers pose a threat to Istanbul, a city of more than 13 million, but the project is likely to draw outrage from environmentalists and spur debate about the ecosytem.

“It is difficult to assess the outcome when one intervenes in a natural system in such an artificial way,” said Cemal Saydam, a professor of environmental engineering.

The 19-mile (30-kilometer) long Bosporus strait that bisects Istanbul is, in conjunction with the Dardanelles, the sole passage between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea and is heavily congested with tanker traffic to and from Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia, Ukraine and southern Russia. It has been the scene of ship accidents in the past and environmentalists warn a major disaster is waiting to happen.

“Bosporus’ traffic will be reduced to zero,” Erdogan said. “Water sports will take place on the Bosporus, transport within the city will be established, (Istanbul) will return to its former days.”

Past accidents have closed the Bosporus for days, including a 1994 collision of an oil tanker and a cargo ship that killed 29 sailors.

In December 1999, a Russian-made tanker split in two at the mouth of the strait, spilling 235,000 gallons of fuel and blackening 6 miles of coastline.

Erdogan said ships carry 139 million tons of oil, 4 million tons of liquefied petroleum gas and 3 million tons of chemicals through the Bosporus annually, threatening nearly 2 million people living and working on the banks of the waterway.

Erdogan said feasibility studies would take two years to complete. He said he would keep the location of the project a secret, apparently to avoid possible land speculation in the area. Excavated soil would be used in the construction of the port and the airport as well as burying some defunct mines in the region.

Kadir Topbas, the mayor of Istanbul and a member of Erdogan’s party, welcomed the project, saying the new canal would eliminate the risk posed by heavy tanker traffic to Istanbul and the environment.

———

Associated Press writers Selcan Hacaoglu contributed to this report.

April 27, 2011
Istanbul could be split in two, says Turkish prime minister

Radical plan unveiled by Recep Tayyip Erdogan to cope with growing strains of city with 17 million residents

Justin Vela in Istanbul

guardian.co.uk, Monday 18 April 2011 16.28 BST

The European and Asian sides of Istanbul across the Bosphorus strait could be divided to make the huge conurbation easier to govern under the prime minister's proposal. Photograph: Osman Orsal/Reuters

The European and Asian sides of Istanbul across the Bosphorus strait could be divided to make the huge conurbation easier to govern under the prime minister’s proposal. Photograph: Osman Orsal/Reuters

Istanbul is renown as the place where east meets west, the only city in the world to straddle Europe and Asia. But it may soon lose this unique status if the Turkish government goes ahead with a plan to divide it in two.

The prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a former Istanbul mayor, has announced what he described as a “wild project” to split the city into European and Asian sides to make it easier to govern.

“We will build two new cities in Istanbul due to high population,” Erdogan said, announcing his party’s manifesto for June elections.. “One on the European side and one on the Anatolian side.”

Istanbul’s official population is soon expected to reach 17 million, with thousands more unregistered people living in the city.

Tahire Erman, an urban planning expert at Ankara’s Bilkent University, said this caused significant problems for authorities: “[Istanbul] is already overgrown, and there are already many problems in the provision of infrastructure and municipal services to the city.”

Should the plan go ahead, the two cities would be well connected by transport links promised by the ruling party, including a third bridge over the Bosphorus, the strait that divides the European and Anatolian sides of the city, and two tube tunnels for cars and rail transport under the water. Two bridges and frequent ferries already connect the two sides of the city.

Resident Emre Borat, a 25-year-old computer engineer, welcomed the proposal. “Actually their project is not like dividing up into two, but more like creating [new cities] from Istanbul,” he said. “Since our economy is getting better, it seems like a good idea to have a separate city for the finance world, or for foreign investment in general.”

Plans have been announced to build a new financial district in Atasehir, a booming district on the Anatolian side of Istanbul, as part of a government pledge to increase Turkey’s global stature by 2023, the centennial anniversary of the Turkish republic.

No information has been released on what the proposed new cities would be called. Mustafa Demir, 51, a salesman, said that while the city was currently “ungovernable” any possible division might go badly “if they do it with the wrong intentions”.

But the opposition People’s Republican Party vice-president, Gürsel Tekin, said the proposal was not practical. “The prime minister has these sorts of ideas. It does not matter if these projects come alive. They are soundbites.”

Ayse Onol, a former journalist from Istanbul who knew Erdogan when he was mayor, said the announcement was not a serious proposal. “People in Turkey just care about headlines, Erdogan knows this. 2023 is far in the distance. People think we will be grander than America; this is a populist policy. It doesn’t matter if Istanbul is divided into two or 12. What matters is how the city is used, not how it is divided.”

via Istanbul could be split in two, says Turkish prime minister | World news | The Guardian.

April 19, 2011
Istanbul Treats Its Famous and Beautiful Bosphorus Strait Like a Trash Can, Turkish NGO Says

From the deck of a boat bobbing on its surface, Istanbul’s Bosphorus Strait seems to flow fresh and strong, breathing air and energy into the city it divides into two continents. When anchored in a secluded cove near the Black Sea end of the strait, it even feels clean enough to swim in. But what lies underneath the waves is apparently another matter altogether.

“Everywhere there are people, there is pollution,” Hakan Tiryaki, the head of the Underwater Cleaning Movement (STH), which works to raise awareness about aquatic pollution, told the Turkish newspaper Hürriyet. Members of the group have dived down to the seabed 250 times since 2005 and say the strait is full of garbage — from old furniture to boat parts, cleaning supplies to restaurant trash. And, of course, plenty of plastic bags. STH divers have removed more than 16,000 pieces of solid waste from just one part of the waterway.

Deliberately Dumped Garbage

Tiryaki believes much of the trash in the Bosphorus is deliberately dumped there. “A truck battery can only be carried by two or three people. Something that heavy cannot fall into the sea accidentally. A 12-square-meter piece of flooring cannot accidentally fall into the sea,” he said. The retrieval of 22 electronic bus passes from one spot on the seabed also raised Tiryaki’s suspicions that an unscrupulous official had treated the strait as a trash can.

Garbage being removed from the Bosphorus. Photo: STH.

The trash problem in Turkey, which we’ve written about before, is not limited to Istanbul. STH divers noted similar conditions in Aegean and Mediterranean coastal areas, findings echoed by readers commenting on the Hürriyet article, who noted seeing “people throwing cigarette butts from ferry boats [and] waiters at coastal restaurants throwing dirty buckets of water straight into the [water]” in Istanbul and a “disgusting” amount of trash — and “depressingly low” levels of marine flora and fauna — in the resort town of Marmaris and its surrounding bays.

Anti-Littering Education, Legislation Needed

Both Turks and tourists contribute to the problem, Hürriyet Daily News columnist John Laughland wrote earlier this month, asking Turkey to please “tidy up a little.” Citing lack of awareness and limited public dumping grounds, Laughland called for televised educational campaigns and effective legislation against both illegal dumping and littering. Creating a culture of shared responsibility is important too, one commenter wrote in response to the column, explaining that people see “public spheres as ‘property of [the] government,’ not their own property they should care about. Have you ever seen Turkish homes having any dust on the floors or tables? I haven’t.”

Another reader agreed, writing: “We need to encourage a sense of belonging, ownership — something very different from nationalism. It can be done but like all these things will take time and energy, particularly teaching schoolchildren, who can in turn help their parents respect their countryside and towns.”

via Istanbul Treats Its Famous and Beautiful Bosphorus Strait Like a Trash Can, Turkish NGO Says : TreeHugger.

November 29, 2010