Melting ice has divided the continents

Bosphorus Strait Bosphorus Strait - is the place where Asia and Europe. It connects the Marmara Sea and Black Sea, and separates the European and Asian parts of Turkey. Istanbul, the colorful capital of Turkey on the shores of the Bosphorus on both shores of the Bosphorus located colorful capital of Turkey - Istanbul. If you believe the ancient Greek legend, it got its name because of the beautiful Bosphorus Io. She fell in love with Zeus himself, and to save her from the wrath of his wife Hera turned her into a white cow. Angry Hera sent after escaping Io's gadfly who constantly Jalil girl, causing her terrible anguish. In desperation, Io, plunged into the blue waters of the Strait, where he found salvation from the terrible bites. Word of the Bosphorus in the translation from the Greek language means "cow-ford". Residents of Istanbul called the Straits, "Boaz." The Bosphorus Strait has always had great economic importance, because on it was accessible to the Mediterranean and the world's oceans, as well as to reach Russia and Ukraine, the Caucasus and southeastern Europe. The main commodity that is shipped through the Bosporus to Russia and the Caspian region, it was oil. For many centuries, the Bosporus continues to play an important role in passenger traffic and international trade. Today, Istanbul boasts two bridges that were already in sight of the city, among many others: Atatyurksky bridge and the bridge Sultan Mahmeda Conqueror. Bosporus connects the Black and Marmara seas model for Atatyurkskogo bridge served as the English Severn Bridge. It was built by German company "Hotshtief" and British firm "Tsleveland Enzhineering. Atatyurksky bridge is considered one of the largest in the world. Its length is 1,074 meters. Pillars upon which rests the bridge, reaching 165 meters in height. Vehicular traffic is divided into six bands. Before the bridge was built to reach the other shore, the passengers were forced to stand for a long time in long queues for the ferry. Atatyurksky bridge gave residents and visitors can quickly and comfortably move from one side of the Bosphorus to the other. Its construction was completed in 1973, the second bridge across the strait was named after the conqueror Sultan Mahmeda. Bridge construction involved in the Japanese engineers, architects and builders, and the final project cost was approximately $ 130 million. Bridge Sultan Mahmeda was fully completed in 1988, Its length is 1,090 meters. Today you can cross the Bosphorus is also an underground tunnel. Bridge Sultan Mahmet Researchers found that he Bosphorus came just 7500 years ago. Initially, the water level in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean was much lower. At the end of the last glacial period, resulting in melting of large masses of ice, the water level rose, and so there was a strong flow of water, linking the two seas. Scientists have come to these conclusions by examining the bottom of the strait. Today, the Bosphorus coast is about 30 kilometers. In the northern part of the Strait of the most widely - 3700 meters, and in its lower part, opposite the fortress Rumelihisar, the width of the narrowest strait - only 750 meters. The depth of the Bosphorus in different places is between 36 to 124 meters. See also: How do we conquer Europe from the sea