Unkapanı Atatürk Bridge

Popularly known as “Unkapanı Bridge”, the bridge’s real name is “Atatürk Bridge”. The structure connects the Historical Peninsula of Istanbul and Beyoğlu. The bridge is located between Azapkapı district in Beyoğlu and Küçükpazar district in Fatih. It can be defined as continuation of the Atatürk Boulevard between Aksaray and Unkapanı.

The History of Unkapanı Bridge

As the first, Unkapanı Bridge was built in the period of thirtieth Ottoman Sultan, Mahmut II, by next Sultan’s mother “Bezmialem Valide Sultan” in 1836.

In contrast to the usual, transitions hadn’t been any demand for the bridge by the public so the bridge was called as “Hayratiye Bridge”.

The bridge has the ability of swimming and the responsibility of the bridge was given to tFevzi Ahmet Pasha, the period’s sea captain. The bridge was completed in the shipyards in the Golden Horn by Fevzi Ahmet Pasha. The length of Unkapanı Bridge was four hundred meters and its wide was then meters. The bridge could be opened and closed not to be banned the ships coming from the Bosporus or Marmara Sea.

In 1875, a French company had built a bridge made of metal instead of wooden bridge as a result of an agreement and prices of one hundred thirty five thousand gold pieces. The bridge’s length was seven hundred eighty meters and wide of the bridge was eighteen meters and it continued to serve until 1912.

In 1912, the new bridge was removed and the third Eminönü- Karaköy Bridge named as “Galata Bridge” was mounted. In 1936, the bridge collapsed as a result of a violent storm and Today’s “Atatürk Bridge” was built. Atatürk Bridge is made of wooden like the first “Hayratiye Bridge”. In 1954 Atatürk Bridge was covered with asphalt. The length of the last bridge is four hundred seventy- seven meters and wide of the bridge is twenty-five meters and still it serves to people.

Amateur fishing can be done in summer and winter on the leaving parts for pedestrians. Also according to the season, mullets, small blue fishes, mackerels and blue fishes are being fished on the bridge.