Haydarpasa Train Station: Present Past and Future

Abstract

The facade of Haydarpasa Train Station has been changed more than once in the course of its century old life time. Until the fire in November 2010 wiping out the roof the building was recalled only with a single image although the original facade of the building was slightly different than it is commonly remembered one. Currently while the wounds of the building are on the verge of healing a new identity for the station is being tailoredthis time it may not be only physically but also functionally. Historical data provided in this paper will illuminate the original state of the building when it was built in 1908. Especially the original roof of the building is given prominence with its structural aspects. Archival evidence sheds light to the original uses of the offices. The early years of the 20th century reveals that not only Haydarpasa Train Station but also the Haydarpasa Pier was renewed. The information provided in this paper contributes to the debate on the restitution of the original state of Haydarpasa Train Station and brings forward the early years of the complex. While its new identity is shaped through the restoration process it is hoped that this article will serve as a valuable first layer along with several others. As a significant historic urban landscape of Istanbul Haydarpasa Train Station and its environs need a holistic preservation approach.