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Istanbul’s iconic Haydarpasa Station, long known as one of the city’s busiest railway terminals, is undergoing a major transformation. The landmark, situated on the Asian side of the city, will no longer serve only as a transportation hub but also as a leading center for culture and the arts.
According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the historic station is being redeveloped into a space that will host performance arts, exhibitions, workshops, and more. Once completed, the project will turn Haydarpasa into one of the most significant cultural venues of Istanbul’s Asian side, complementing the city’s well-established institutions across the Bosphorus.
Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy visited the site to review the ongoing works and later shared updates on his social media accounts. He emphasized that the full details of the project would soon be announced, underlining that the station will remain operational for train services while simultaneously taking on its new cultural role.
The redevelopment will bring several additions to the historic station complex, including a performance arts center, a library, thematic museums, exhibition halls, and creative workshops. One of the most notable initiatives is the opening of the first archaeology museum on Istanbul’s Asian side.
Minister Ersoy stated, “The historic Haydarpasa Station will continue to serve train transportation while also becoming a center of culture and the arts. With this major transformation, we will soon provide the Asian side with a new cultural and artistic hub.”
The museum will showcase artifacts unearthed during excavations launched in 2018, many of which date back thousands of years. In addition, the station grounds will feature an archaeopark—an open-air site where visitors can encounter ancient remains directly on display.
As part of the project, the mosque located within the station area will be preserved and will remain open for worship following restoration. Officials highlighted that this approach reflects a balance between conserving existing historical structures and introducing new cultural facilities.
The ministry confirmed that the transformation is progressing rapidly and that full details of the project will be revealed in the near future. Once completed, the development is expected to bring Haydarpasa back into the cultural spotlight of Istanbul, blending its historic role in transportation with a new identity as a center for heritage and the arts.
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