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
Church of St. Mary of the Spring (Istanbul) Also several Patriarchs are buried here. Characteristic of this cemetery are also several gravestones with Karamanli inscriptions, which constitute by far the largest surviving group in this language. The complex is also surrounded by two large cemeteries, respectively Armenian and Greek, each enclosed in high walls. About one kilometer south of the church is active an important Greek hospital, the "Balikli Rum Hastanesi Vakif" (“Balikli Greek Hospital Foundation”). Church of St. Mary of the Spring (Istanbul) The Monastery of the Mother of God at the Spring (full name in , pr. "Moni tis Theotóku tis Pigis"; Turkish name: "Balıklı Meryem