A railway that tunnels under the Bosphorous Strait in Turkey's capital, Istanbul, opened Tuesday on the country's 90th anniversary, making it the first transportation system to connect Europe and Asia.
The Marmaray tunnel, named for a combination of the nearby Sea of Marmara and "ray," the Turkish word for rail, runs 8.5 miles, less than one of which is underwater. The Bosphorous Strait runs through the middle of Istanbul, a city that sits partly in Europe and Asia.
See also: Map Shows Where 220mph Trains Would Go in the U.S.
Turkey has dubbed the tunnel the "project of the century," but an Ottoman sultan first had the idea in 1860, 63 years before Turkey became a sovereign nation. Another sultan had architects submit plans in 1891, but construction technology proved insufficient for the task, so the idea was tabled all the way until workers broke ground in 2005.
With Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoğan as its champion, the modern project was slated for completion by 2009, but it progressed at a turtle's pace because digging was constantly halted by archeological finds such as a fourth century Byzantine port, complete with 34 1,000-year-old ships.
But perhaps the timing worked out. Now, on a historic anniversary for country, a 153-year-old vision has come to life.
Istanbul, a city of around 14 million people, has legendary traffic problems. Before the train, two bridges provided the only way for people to get across the Bosphorous Strait. Government officials hope that the estimated 1.5 million passengers per day will ease congestion.
But traffic will continue, and Erdoğan's vision is far from finished. He wants to build a twin tunnel, this time for cars, as well as a third bridge over the strait. He also has plans to construct the planet's largest airport.
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.
Image: OZAN KOSE/AFP/Getty Images