The Bosphorus: A waterway of work and life in Istanbul, in photos

ISTANBUL (AP) — As the sun sets over Istanbul, commuters hurry aboard ferries crossing the Bosphorus while many others are just beginning their workday along the busy waterway that divides Europe and Asia.

For centuries, trade, travel and migration have flowed through the Bosphorus, a 19-mile (30-kilometer) strait linking the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara. Today, the winding waterway is the backdrop to the daily routines of thousands of people whose lives are shaped by its waters.

Ferry crews, fishermen, divers, street photographers, restoration workers and musicians make their living on or beside its waters. Residents and visitors come to fish, swim or simply enjoy the shoreline.

“I can’t imagine myself living any other life without ships,” says ferry captain Fatih Tirik, who has spent years navigating the crowded strait. Restoration worker Yuksel Baloglu, who helps preserve the centuries-old Rumeli Fortress overlooking the water, says he enjoys working there “whether it’s hot in the summer or cold in the winter.”

This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.