Construction of Metro Bridge over Golden Horn resumes
29 January 2009
The construction of a bridge across the Golden Horn as part of the metro line from Taksim to Yenikapi has resumed after the project was revised by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality as a response to a UNESCO committee report. The report suggested that the design of the bridge would have a negative impact on the visual integrity of the historical area.
The foundation stone of the bridge was laid in 1998 during current Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's time as Istanbul mayor. It was halted by the municipality in 2003 when a World Heritage committee report brought up concerns that the bridge would harm the visual integrity of the historical peninsula and, in particular, the setting of the Suleymaniye Mosque.
After the project was revised by the municipality in a way that the bridge would not have a negative visual impact and the design was approved by the UNESCO committee, a tender for construction was held and construction has then resumed. A joint bid from Turkey's Gulermak and Italy's Astaldi won the tender to construct the bridge, which was originally designed by architect and current Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topbas. The construction of the bridge is expected to be completed by 2010. The project includes the construction of a 387-meter-long steel cable-stayed bridge and a 120-meter-long swing bridge, which will open to allow access for shipping, as reported by Today's Zaman.
<<< back to Turkish property news >>>
International Property News
Latest World News