Pasaport Ferry Terminal ( tr, Pasaport İskelesi) is a passenger

ferry terminal A passenger terminal is a structure in a port which services passengers boarding and leaving water vessels such as ferries, cruise ships and ocean liners. Depending on the types of vessels serviced by the terminal, it may be named (for example) ...

in Konak,

İzmir İzmir ( , ; ), also spelled Izmir, is a metropolitan city in the western extremity of Anatolia, capital of the province of the same name. It is the third most populous city in Turkey, after Istanbul and Ankara and the second largest urban agglo ...

on the

Gulf of İzmir The Gulf of İzmir ( tr, İzmir Körfezi), formerly known as the Gulf of Smyrna, is a gulf on the Aegean Sea, with its inlet between the Karaburun Peninsula and the mainland area of Foça. It is in length by in breadth, with an excellent anchor ...

. It is located at the northern end of the historic Pasaport Quay on the southwestern side of Cumhuriyet Square. İzdeniz operates commuter ferry service to other terminals around the city. Pasaport was originally built in 1884, as an add-on to the Pasaport Harbor which was constructed between 1867 and 1884. Pasaport Terminal is the halfway point between Alsancak and Konak Terminals.

History

The ferry terminal building was constructed as part of the Port of Smyrna along with the quay and the breakwater by the French company Guiffray after projects of British engineers between 1867 and 1886. It was used as a checkpoint for international sea traffic. It took its name from its function as passport control site. A historic postcard featuring the building names it as the "Débarcadère et Bureau de Passeports" (Wharf and Passport Office). The 1884-established passenger ferry line company, the "Gulf of Smyrna Ottoman Ferries Hamidiyye Inc.", operated Pasaport Ferry Terminal in the past connecting it with the ferry terminals Karşıyaka, Alaybey, Osmanzade, Turan, Bayraklı, Konak, Karataş, Salhane and Göztepe with a flotilla of eight passenger ferry boats. The company's head office was also in the building. In 1922, the

Great Fire of Smyrna The burning of Smyrna ( el, Καταστροφή της Σμύρνης, "Smyrna Catastrophe"; tr, 1922 İzmir Yangını, "1922 Izmir Fire"; hy, Զմիւռնիոյ Մեծ Հրդեհ, ''Zmyuṙno Mets Hrdeh'') destroyed much of the port city of ...

, which began four days after the Turkish troops recaptured the city on September 9 that ended the

Greco-Turkish War (1919–22) There have been several Greco-Turkish Wars: * Greek War of Independence (1821–1830), against the Ottoman Empire *Undeclared war in 1854 during the Crimean War, with Greek irregulars invading Ottoman Epirus (Epirus Revolt of 1854) and Thessaly * Fi ...

, destroyed the building along with much of the port city. The building remained a ruin for some years. Redesigned in inspiration of

Seljuk Seljuk or Saljuq (سلجوق) may refer to: * Seljuk Empire (1051–1153), a medieval empire in the Middle East and central Asia * Seljuk dynasty (c. 950–1307), the ruling dynasty of the Seljuk Empire and subsequent polities * Seljuk (warlord) (di ...

- Ottoman architectural style of the First National Architectural Movement, it was rebuilt in the office time of

Kâzım Dirik Kâzım Dirik (1881 in Bitola, Manastir Vilayet, Ottoman Empire – July 3, 1941 in Edirne) was an officer of the Ottoman Army and a general of the Turkish Army. During his political career he was Governor of Izmir between 1926 and 1935. In coo ...

, who was appointed governor of the city in 1926. In 1948, the building became headquarters of the Customs Guard Command. From 1957 on, it hosted the Customs Guard Directorate following the reorganization of the Customs Administration. In 1970, the nearby police station of Kantar moved next to the building.

Present usage

To meet the requirements of the growing passenger traffic, the ferry terminal was renovated and modernized by the Metropolitan Municipality of İzmir. It was put in service again on December 15, 2003 after its closure due to works between May and November of the same year. Operated by the local passenger ferry line İzdeniz, the terminal is connected with terminals along with Konak and

Alsancak Alsancak is a centrally situated large quarter (or a zone; ''semt'' in Turkish) in İzmir, Turkey, within the boundaries of the metropolitan district of Konak, the historic center of the city. Overview As a notional zone, Alsancak extends from ...

terminals Üçkuyular, Göztepe ,

Bayraklı Bayraklı is a metropolitan district of İzmir and a district of İzmir Province in Turkey. Bayraklı was turned into a district by a decree of the Government of Turkey on March 6, 2008. Previously, it was a quarter within İzmir's Karşıyaka dis ...

, Bostanlı and

Karşıyaka Karşıyaka () is a district of İzmir Province in Turkey. The district extends for twelve kilometres along the northern and eastern coastline of the tip of the Gulf of İzmir. Its centre is at a distance of to the north from the traditional cen ...

. With a total of 75 departures per day (35 to Alsancak-Karşıyaka, 28 to Alsancak-Bostanlı, 10 to Konak-Göztepe-Üçkuyular and 2 to Bayraklı), Pasaport Terminal is a busy one in İzmir.

Connections

ESHOT operates city bus service on Cumhuriyet Boulevard.

References

External links

Images at wooturkey
{{İzmir Transport in İzmir Buildings and structures in İzmir Ferry terminals in Turkey First Turkish National architecture Buildings and structures of the Ottoman Empire Piers in Turkey Gulf of İzmir