Istanbul - Golden Horn

The Golden Horn (in Turkish Haliç; boat trip up the Horn recommended), a curving inlet 7km/4.5mi long and up to 40m/130ft deep opening off the Bosporus in Istanbul, is one of the finest natural harbors in the world. It is in fact a drowned river valley, a tributary of the river which once flowed through the Bosporus. The lowest part, below the Galata Bridge, is the Outer Commercial Harbor, with the Galata Quay on the north side and others quays along the south side. Between the Galata Bridge and Atatürk Bridge (1km/0.75mi west) is the Inner Commercial Harbor, to the north the old Naval Harbor. In the Middle Ages the Golden Horn, like the Bosporus, could be closed to shipping by a chain across the mouth.