The bridge spans 2,023 metres and connects Europe and Asia. The bridge, which cost €2.5billion (just over £2billion) to build, has been open since March 2022.07:18, 06 Jul 2026The world's longest suspension bridge stretches an impressive 2,023 metres, linking Europe and Asia. Having only been open for four years, it claimed the top spot from Japan's Akashi Kaikyo Bridge.‌The 1915 Çanakkale Bridge officially opened on March 18, 2022, in North-west Turkey, stretching from Gelibolu on the European side of the country across to the Asian town of Lapseki.‌Surpassing the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, which was constructed in 1998, by 32 metres, the ambitious project began in 2017, with construction across the Dardanelles Strait, slashing journey times by up to 93%.‌Since its opening, travellers no longer need to endure 90-minute ferry crossings. Both the bridge's name and its length serve as a tribute to the nation itself.The 1915 reference commemorates the Ottoman victory during World War 1, a defeat for Britain that ultimately paved the way for the declaration of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, reports the Mirror.The 2,203 metre span pays tribute to 2023, when Turkey celebrated the centenary of the republic's founding. President Erdogan previously disclosed that the enormous structure came with a price tag of €2.5billion (just over £2billion).‌He said: "Turkey has overtaken Japan, which has the longest bridge in the world in terms of midspan, and has taken the place."Speaking further after the completion of the project, Erdogan added: "Canakkale, which has been the apple of the eyes of various civilisations, cultures and societies for thousands of years, embraces a brand new future today.‌"We have come together to inaugurate the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge, which we see as a ruby necklace over the Canakkale Strait."Despite holding the record for the world's longest suspension bridge, the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge could soon be stripped of its top spot.Italy has put forward plans for a new bridge linking the mainland to Sicily, which would claim the title of the world's longest if built. The proposed structure would stretch an impressive 3,300 metres.‌This isn't the first time such a crossing over the Strait of Messina has been mooted. A comprehensive plan was drawn up in the 1990s, only to be scrapped in 2006.The scheme was revived in 2009 but was shelved once more in 2023. Yet again, fresh proposals surfaced last year.Italian prime minister Georgia Meloni said: "It is not an easy task but we consider it an investment in Italy's present and future, and we like difficult challenges when they make sense."Article continues belowWorries have been raised over the risk of earthquakes, powerful currents and the potential disruption to bird migration routes.