The Bosphorus is a 32 km long strait, joining the Sea of Maramara with the Black Sea. It varies in width from about 500 meters to 3 km and in depth from 50 to 120 meters. This waterway flows right through Istanbul and separates the continents of Europe and Asia.

In traditional reference of the mighty Ottoman empire, it is called Bogaziçi (boh-AHZ-ee-chee). However it’s English name of Bosphorus comes from a Greek legend: Zeus had an affair with a beautiful women named Io. When Hera, his wife, discovered his infidelity, she turned Io into a cow and created a horsefly to sting her on the rump. Io jumped clear across the strait. Thus bous = cow, and poros = crossing-place: Bosphorus = “crossing-place of the cow”.

As I moved within the city of Istanbul, I captured a few pictures of this mighty waterway at the crossroads of Asia and Europe.

Click first photo below to view entire series in slide show.