Galataport is a world-class destination project located on the coastline between Karaköy Ferry Terminal and the building of Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University Fındıklı Campus. With an investment of nearly 1.7 billion dollars, Galataport Istanbul is one of the most significant destination projects in the world.

This modern cruise port features an exclusive hotel, luxury cafés and restaurants, boutique shops, offices, and two important art museums, all situated along a 1.2 km stretch of the Bosphorus Strait. For visitors arriving by sea, transportation to and from Galataport is seamless, thanks to taxis, tram lines, private transfers, Istanbul chauffeur service, and VIP vehicles provided by Istanbul luxury transfer companies.

A Brief History of Galata Port İstanbul

During the late Ottoman period and early Turkish Republic, the Galataport area mainly served industrial transportation and cargo purposes. In 1958, warehouses designed by Sedat Hakkı Eldem were built in the region. Later, in 1982, the area was declared a tourism center and in 1993, the Conservation Board classified it as an Urban Site.

Since then, the region has gradually transformed. Istanbul Modern art museum was opened in 2004, and by February 2015, Galataport’s construction began, ending nearly two centuries of closed coastline. Previously, it was the only point in Istanbul where cruise ships could anchor.

Features of the Galata Port Istanbul Project

The main function of the project will be the cruise terminal or the waiting areas and ticketing counters serving it. In order to assist these functions, usage areas for state authorities, duty free shops, technical areas, hotels, restaurants and other commercial enterprises will also be built.
Passengers arriving at Galataport on giant cruise ships will reach the outer area with a bellow joint to the port, and this will be a first in the history of the world. Passport control and customs procedures of the passengers who will reach the terminal area will be carried out in the places that will be located under the ground. It is aimed that the new terminal and additional functions will have the capacity to host the world’s largest cruise ships. It is aimed that the project will serve approximately 7 million foreign tourists annually, 3 million of which are cruise passengers.

Within the scope of the project, the 1.2 kilometer coastline between Karaköy and Tophane will be open to the public. The area where Tophane Clock Tower and Nusretiye Mosque are located will be rebuilt in the context of this project. Istanbul Modern, which will be temporarily moved to the Package Post Office, and a contemporary arts museum to be affiliated with Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University will be reconstructed. The first in Turkey and one of the few examples in the world; a duty-paid and duty-free areas will be created using hydraulic Rotary Actuator systems. This area will be open before cruise ships dock and the public will be able to use the coastline. During the berthing of cruise ships, domestic production Hydraulic Rotary Actuators will be operated with remote control to create a duty-free area.

Project Scope and Structures

Galataport Istanbul is among the most important destination projects in the world with its unique cruise port, an exclusive hotel brand, cafes, restaurants, boutique shops, offices and two important art museums, located on the 1.2 km coastline by the Bosphorus.
While transforming the historical port of the city into a world-class cruise port and a new destination, Galataport Istanbul also opens access to this precious coastline, which has been closed to the public for nearly 200 years. The terminal, built on 29,000 m2 underground, will continue to be Istanbul’s gateway to the world from the sea.

The historical buildings on the project site will be restored and the 177-room The Peninsula Istanbul Hotel will be opened as a ring of the Peninsula Hotels brand, which is located in only 10 distinguished locations in the world.

The food and beverage and retail areas of the project are located in the Package Post Office building to be restored on the Karaköy side and on the Salipazarı side, which will be rebuilt in accordance with the Karaköy texture. The total number of retail and food-beverage points planned within the scope of the project is approximately 250. The total leasable area allocated for shopping and catering units is approximately 52.000 m².

Office areas, on the other hand, are located in an area of Salıpazarı which has been epicenter of finance, insurance and banking throughout the history, and has a leasable area of approximately 43,000 m².

After the project is completed, it is predicted that approximately 1.5 million cruise passengers will visit Istanbul annually. Galataport Istanbul will host a total of 25 million visitors annually, 7 million of which are foreigners.

Location and Transportation