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Turkey has unveiled the world's first sea tunnel connecting two continents, fulfilling a sultan's dream 150 years ago, but also fuelling recent anti-government sentiment for such mega projects.
30 Oct 2013 - 5:54 PM  UPDATED 30 Oct 2013 - 6:49 PM

The Turkish government has unveiled a $A4 billion dollar rail tunnel under the Bosphorus linking the European and Asian sides of the bustling city of Istanbul.

 

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Turkish dignitaries pray during the opening ceremony of the Marmaray railway, a tube tunnel submerged into the Bosphorus waterway in Istanbul, Turkey, on 29 October 2013. (AAP)
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Crowds gathered to witness the opening of the underwater tunnel, which is the first across the globe to link two continents. (AAP)
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Construction of the tunnel had been scheduled to take four years but was delayed after a series of major archaeological discoveries. (Getty)
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Some 40,000 objects were excavated from the site, notably a cemetery of some 30 Byzantine ships, which is the largest known medieval fleet. (Getty)
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The grandiose construction project attracted criticism from some Turks, tapping into anti-government sentiment. (AAP)
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The bold project was first imagined by a sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Abdoul Medjid, in 1860, but he lacked the technology and funds to take his idea further. (AAP)
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Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was present at the official opening, as the Bank of Japan was the main financer of the project. (AAP)
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Transport is a major problem in Istanbul, which has a population of over 15 million. (AAP)
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Fisherman relax by the Bosphorus, where the tunnel runs more than 50 metres deep below the seabed. (AAP)
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Fireworks for Republic Day, the anniversary of the declaration of the Turkish Republic, coincided with the opening of the tunnel. (AAP)
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