The 1915 Çanakkale Bridge in Turkey opened on March 18, 2022, to make travel easier between the European and Asian sides of the country.
The record is not for overall length.
It holds the longest main span of any suspension bridge in the world: 6,637 feet (2,023 meters) between the main towers, with no supports in between.
That section, not the full road with its approaches, is what puts the bridge first.
How far is that?
About as long as 22 American football fields set end to end.
The red towers rise 318 meters. A steel roadway deck hangs from the main cables.
Under the deck, there is room for large ships, including container ships and cruise ships.
Designers also had to allow for strong winds and high earthquake risk in the area.
Even the record length sends a message. It points to the centennial of the Turkish Republic in 2023.
The name and the opening day recall the Ottoman naval victory the bridge commemorates.
A highway between two continents runs overhead.
A passage for big ships remains below.
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