Ferries in Istanbul Ferries in Istanbul The city of Istanbul is at a geographic crossroads, straddling Europe and Asia Minor, and is divided by a sea lane called the Bosphorus Strait, which joins the Black Sea in the northeast and the Marmara Sea in the southwest. This strait has played a key role in the history of the city. Boats have traversed the waters of the Bosphorus for millennia and until the opening of the first Bosphorus bridge in 1973, were the only mode of transport between the European and Asian halves of Istanbul. They continue to serve as a key public transport
Battle of the Strait of Hormuz Battle of the Strait of Hormuz The Battle of the Strait of Hormuz was fought in August 1553 between an Ottoman fleet, commanded by admiral Murat Reis, against a Portuguese fleet of Dom Diogo de Noronha. The Turks were forced to retreat after clashing with the Portuguese. After Piri Reis was executed in late 1552, Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent had him replaced by Murat Reis, as Ottoman "admiral of the Indian Ocean fleet". His mission was to transfer 15 galleys stationed at Basra to the Red Sea, to firmly secure it against Portuguese incursions. Such a task however, demanded sailing