Istanbul Bridge [Pointe de Stamboul, Constantinople]
Before the 19th century, there was no bridge on the Golden Horn connecting both sides of the natural harbor around Istanbul. Small boats and ferries were the only means of transportation between the two shores. The first Galata Bridge over the Golden Horn was constructed in the mid-19th century. It was replaced successively by newer structures in 1863, 1875, 1912 and most recently in 1994. The story of this bridge is the story of the city. The long break from 1912 until 1994 reflects the decline of the city once the Ottoman Empire fell, a tale poignantly told in Orhan Pamuk's memoir Istanbul.
Two other bridges have been built over the Golden Horn, while the European and Asian sides of the Bosphorus are linked by two huge suspension bridgesbuilt in the 1970s and 1980s. The Turkish Government is currently building a new bridge across the Golden Horn according to Leonardo da Vinci's 16th century design for such a structure, but the original Galata Bridge will always hold a special place in the culture of what is now one of the largest cities in the world.