Istanbul’s Haliç Shipyard celebrates its 556 years

ISTANBUL – Anatolia News Agency

Istanbul’s historic Haliç Shipyard, where the maintenance and renovation of ships owned by city lines and private institutions are carried out, is now 556 years old. The historical shipyard is home to cultural events

Three panoramic Haliç (Golden Horn) ships were recently built in Istanbul’s Haliç Shipyard, which was built in 1455 by Fatih Sultan Mehmet and named Tersane-i Amire. The shipyard, which has a 556-year-old industrial heritage and is one of the world’s oldest surviving shipyards, is also home to cultural events.

Speaking to the Anatolia news agency, City Lines General Director Süleyman Genç said Turkish and foreign academics, university students and people from art circles often visited the shipyard.

“Turkey’s largest open-air exhibition ‘The Residents of Haliç’ and a concert by famous Belgian band DAAU were among the events that took place in the shipyard last year as part of the Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture events,” he said. “We try to bring together this historic shipyard with people through cultural events. The design of the Stars of Istanbul project, organized by UNICEF, was made at the Ahşabiye Atelier in the shipyard.”

Genç said the Culture and Tourism Ministry had some ideas to transform the shipyard into a museum. “But these ideas can be developed. There is a different atmosphere here. It can be a ‘living museum.’ We have been trying to develop this concept for three or four years. Every single thing in this shipyard has value. We should be very careful while transferring it to the future.”

Maintenance and restoration of all city lines ships continues in the shipyard and will continue in the future despite its changing atmosphere. “We are planning to organize fairs in this historic and authentic environment. The Fahri Korutürk ship was recently renewed in our shipyard and has been opened to service.”

Most of the ships serving in the city lines fleet were produced in this shipyard, according to Genç, including: Şehit Adem Yavuz, Caner Gönyeli, Şehit Karaoğlanoğlu, İstanbul, Necati Gürkaya, Hamdi Karahasan, Şehit İlker Karter, Zübeyde Hanım and Metin Sülüş. Three panoramic Golden Horn ships named Kasımpaşa, Hasköy and Sütlüce were also recently built in the shipyard.

Genç said there were also three historical docks and gravestones in the Haliç Shipyard. “The pools were made as part of the reforms made in the Ottoman Naval Forces in the 18th and 19th centuries. The maintenance of ships is made in these dry docks,” Genç said. “Special stones that gather no moss have been used in these docks. These stones have been brought from the Mount Vesuvius volcano in Italy.”