Yenikapı
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Yenikapı () is a port and a quarter in
Istanbul Istanbul ( , ; tr, İstanbul ), formerly known as Constantinople ( grc-gre, Κωνσταντινούπολις; la, Constantinopolis), is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, serving as the country's economic, ...
,
Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
, in the metropolitan district of
Fatih Fatih () is a district of and a municipality (''belediye'') in Istanbul, Turkey, and home to almost all of the provincial authorities (including the governor's office, police headquarters, metropolitan municipality and tax office) but not the co ...
on the
Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
an side of the
Bosphorus The Bosporus Strait (; grc, Βόσπορος ; tr, İstanbul Boğazı 'Istanbul strait', colloquially ''Boğaz'') or Bosphorus Strait is a natural strait and an internationally significant waterway located in Istanbul in northwestern Tu ...
, and along the southern shore of the city's historically central peninsula. Yenikapı is notable for the ongoing excavations on its
Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
port, first discovered in 2004. Yenikapı’s archeological investigations have become one of the largest in
Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
, due to the size and number of the shipwrecks found since the initial discovery, and the large number of associated artefacts. The commercial harbor, called the Harbour of Theodosius, in use between the 5th and the 10th centuries, was an alternative to
Constantinople la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه , alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...
's traditional berths situated along the inlet of the
Golden Horn The Golden Horn ( tr, Altın Boynuz or ''Haliç''; grc, Χρυσόκερας, ''Chrysókeras''; la, Sinus Ceratinus) is a major urban waterway and the primary inlet of the Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey. As a natural estuary that connects with t ...
. The Yenikapı Square is an artificial piece of land created on the
Sea of Marmara The Sea of Marmara,; grc, Προποντίς, Προποντίδα, Propontís, Propontída also known as the Marmara Sea, is an inland sea located entirely within the borders of Turkey. It connects the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea via the ...
, enlarging Yenikapı. It is used for large gatherings, particularly pro- Erdoğan political rallies, and events such as the Ethnosport Cultural Festival.


Transportation

The
Yenikapı Transfer Center Yenikapı Transfer Center ( tr, Yenikapı Aktarma Merkezi), referred to as Yenikapı, is an underground transportation complex in Istanbul. It is located in south-central Fatih in the neighborhood of Yenikapı, hence the name of the hub. The co ...
is also the site of an underground mass rapid transit terminal, the construction of which was delayed by the massive excavations necessary for the project. The new Yenikapı terminal provides interchanges between the Hafif Metro (M1) line and the M2 line — both of which constitute part of the
Istanbul Metro The Istanbul Metro ( tr, İstanbul metrosu) is a rapid transit railway network that serves the city of Istanbul, Turkey. It is operated by Metro Istanbul, a company (formerly known as ''İstanbul Ulaşım A.Ş.'' before 2016), a public enterpris ...
network — and the new
Marmaray The Marmaray () is a intercontinental commuter rail line in Istanbul, Turkey. A rail tunnel running under the Bosphorus strait was connected to an upgraded version of the old suburban train service (known as the banliyö), allowing trains ...
railway link connecting the
Anatolian Anatolian or anatolica may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the region Anatolia * Anatolians, ancient Indo-European peoples who spoke the Anatolian languages * Anatolian High School, a type of Turkish educational institution * Anatol ...
and European sides of the city through a new tunnel under the
Bosporus The Bosporus Strait (; grc, Βόσπορος ; tr, İstanbul Boğazı 'Istanbul strait', colloquially ''Boğaz'') or Bosphorus Strait is a natural strait and an internationally significant waterway located in Istanbul in northwestern T ...
. Yenikapı is also a station on the İstanbul-Halkalı suburban railway line.


Archaeology

During the archaeological excavation at the Yenikapı
Marmaray The Marmaray () is a intercontinental commuter rail line in Istanbul, Turkey. A rail tunnel running under the Bosphorus strait was connected to an upgraded version of the old suburban train service (known as the banliyö), allowing trains ...
construction site, it has been learned that Istanbul's history dates back further than was previously thought, some 8,500 years. 8,000-year-old skeletons were discovered, and with the continuous excavations, further graves have been unearthed. The graves reveal that Istanbul used to be home to the earliest settlements during the Stone Age. The skeletons were found in four prehistoric graves. Other than skeletons, the digs have revealed 34 sunken ships dating back to the seventh and 11th centuries. The sunken ships have been conserved at the
Istanbul University , image = Istanbul_University_logo.svg , image_size = 200px , latin_name = Universitas Istanbulensis , motto = tr, Tarihten Geleceğe Bilim Köprüsü , mottoeng = Science Bridge from Past to the Future , established = 1453 1846 1933 ...
and the
Institute of Nautical Archaeology The Institute of Nautical Archaeology (INA) is the world's oldest organization devoted to the study of humanity's interaction with the sea through the practice of archaeology. History INA's founder George Bass (archeologist), Dr. George Bass pion ...
in
Bodrum Bodrum () is a port city in Muğla Province, southwestern Turkey, at the entrance to the Gulf of Gökova. Its population was 35,795 at the 2012 census, with a total of 136,317 inhabitants residing within the district's borders. Known in ancient t ...
. There were also remnants of some walls found during the excavations. They are now considered to be the first city
walls of Constantinople The Walls of Constantinople ( el, Τείχη της Κωνσταντινουπόλεως) are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul in Turkey) since its founding as the ...
, erected when the city was founded as Byzantion. About 500 pieces taken from the relics unearthed during the Marmaray excavations were exhibited at the Istanbul Archeology Museum. In order to provide an adequate urban and architectural design for the archaeological site, an international design competition was organized in 2012, with the project by
Peter Eisenman Peter Eisenman (born August 11, 1932) is an American architect. Considered one of the New York Five, Eisenman is known for his writing and speaking about architecture as well as his designs, which have been called high modernist or deconstructiv ...
and Aytac Architects eventually selected as the winning proposal. The project also envisages the realization of an archeo-park and a large archaeological museum. In 2020, archaeologists discovered animals remains and skeletons, including cats, dating back to the Byzantine period.


References


Resources

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External links

* Saudi Aramco World
Uncovering Yenikapi
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yenikapi Fatih Fishing communities in Turkey Quarters of Fatih Transit centers in Istanbul