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The eyesore on the northern shore of the Golden Horn in Istanbul was once the Ottoman Imperial Shipyard (Tersâne-i Âmire). It’s best seen riding on a Golden Horn ferry.
History of the Ottoman Imperial Shipyard
Construction on the Imperial Shipyard began in 1454 under Mehmed the Conqueror, shortly after the Fall of Constantinople. It was finished during the reign of Sultan Bayezid II.
During the winter of 1513 to 1514, Sultan Selim I began a major development and expansion of the shipyard. 160 dry docks were constructed by 1515 and it became the main base of the Ottoman Navy. The shipyard stretched from Kasımpaşa to Hasköy and was one of the largest in the world.
Between 1546 and 1549, Sokollu Mehmed Pasha (1506-1579) built a storehouse behind each dock. He also built a wall on the land side of the shipyard to prevent spies from peering in. Sokollu Mehmed Pasha was the Grand Admiral (Kaptan-ı Derya) of the Ottoman Navy at the time.
Modernization
After suffering terrible losses during the Russo-Turkish War from 1768 to 1774, Grand Admiral Cezayirli Hasan Pasha (1713-1790) established the Turkish Naval Academy. He also called on French naval experts to teach Ottoman shipbuilders new modern techniques.
By the time Sultan Abdülmecid I came to power in the mid 19th century, the Imperial Shipyard had fallen into disrepair and underinvestment. He launched a major modernization program and the shipyard became relevant once again.
Division
In 1913, the Imperial Shipyard was divided into three parts. The Taşkızak Shipyard was left to the navy while the Golden Horn Shipyard and Camialtı Shipyard were sold to private companies. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881-1938) ordered their renovation and modernization on July 1, 1933. Equipment was upgraded and new mechanical tools were purchased.
Golden Horn Shipyard
While most of the shipyard towards Hasköy looks abandoned and in ruins, the Golden Horn Shipyard (Haliç Tersanesi) in Kasımpaşa is the easiest to see in action. It has been affiliated with the Istanbul City Lines (Şehir Hatları) since October 1, 2010.
The Golden Horn Shipyard covers 70 acres and contains 3 dry docks, 2 sledges, and several workshops and historic sites. Maintenance on City Lines ferries takes place there.
The dry docks at the Golden Horn Shipyard were built during the Ottoman period. Dry Dock #3 was built between 1796 and 1799, #2 was built between 1821 and 1825, and #3 was built between 1857 and 1870.
Tersane Istanbul
Much of what was the Ottoman Imperial Shipyard is undergoing an urban redevelopment transformation aimed at reclaiming two kilometers of shoreline along the Golden Horn for public use (as of September 2024). The Tersane Istanbul project will see 242,000 square meters of the old industrial space converted to a mixed-use complex consisting of retail space, 4 luxury hotels, restaurants, residential units, 3 museums, performance space, marinas, and a shoreline promenade.
The historic Aynalıkavak Pavilion will be part of the project and there will also be the new Museum of Women’s Culture. The Sadberk Hanım Museum, currently in Sarıyer, will relocate there.
