Karaköy Pier

Karaköy Pier (Turkish: Karaköy iskelesi) is a ferry landing on the Golden Horn in Beyoğlu, Istanbul. Located along Rıhtım Avenue, just east of the Galata Bridge, Şehir Hatları operates many ferries from Karaköy to Kadıköy, Bostancı, Üsküdar and to piers along the Golden Horn, as far west as Eyüp.

Karaköy Pier
The MS Barış Manço docked at Karaköy in 2013.
Location	Rıhtım Cd., Kemankeş Karamustafa Paşa Mah., 34425 Beyoğlu, Istanbul Turkey
Coordinates	41.0217°N 28.9767°E
Operated by	Şehir Hatları
Line(s)	Golden Horn Line Karaköy-Kadıköy Bostancı-Karaköy
Connections	Tünel at Karaköy Istanbul Tram at Karaköy Turyol at Karaköy İETT Bus:[1] 26, 26A, 26B, 28, 28T, 30D, 31E, 32, 33, 33B, 33ES, 33TE, 33Y, 35, 36CE, 36KE, 37E, 38E, 44B, 46Ç, 47, 47Ç, 47E, 47N, 48E, 54E, 54TE, 66, 70D, 70FE, 70KE, 74, 74A, 77Ç, 78, 78H, 79E, 80, 82, 90, 91O, 92, 92A, 92C, 93, 94, 97A, 97GE, 99, 99A, 99Y, 146B, 336E, EM1, EM2
Construction
Disabled access	Yes
History
Opened	1959
Rebuilt	1966, 1984, 2008
Services
Preceding station   Şehir Hatları   Following station Kasımpaşa toward Eyüp Golden Horn Line Üsküdar Terminus Terminus Karaköy-Kadıköy Kadıköy Terminus Bostancı-Karaköy Bostancı Terminus
Location
Karaköy Pier Location within Istanbul

Karaköy pier first opened in 1959, replacing an older pier on the Galata Bridge, and has been rebuilt three times since. It is located on the southern shore of the historic Galata neighborhood, known today as Karaköy. Connections to the historic Tünel funicular railway, Istanbul Tram and IETT city bus service is available, as well as connection to private Turyol ferry service at the nearby Turyol pier on the west side of the Galata Bridge.

History

Ferry service from the Galata-Eminönü area to Kadıköy began in the mid-19th century from Eminönü Pier, on the southern shore of the Golden Horn. It wasn't until 1919 that a pier was opened on the Galata side of the inlet. This pier was built along the Galata Bridge and kept operating until 16 January 1959, when a storm destroyed the pier.[2]

The pier was rebuilt within the same year, but moved to a new location 160 m (520 ft) east of the bridge to its current location. This pier extended outwards on the water and was used for ferries primarily to Kadıköy. On 1 March 1966, two Soviet-flagged vessels, the M/T Lutsk and the M/T Kransky Oktiabr, collided near the Maiden's Tower causing 1,850 tons of oil to be spilled into the Bosporus. The oil caught fire and reached Karaköy, where it burned down the Karaköy Pier along with the MS Kadıköy.[2] The pier was rebuilt shortly after and remained in operation until 1984, when a newer floating pier replaced it. This pier kept operating until 2008, when another Lodos storm sank the pier. This pier was replaced with a smaller one, located on land and connected to a small floating barge, which is still in operation to this day.[3]

References

1. "Karaköy - Duraktan Geçen Hatlar" (in Turkish). Retrieved 18 December 2017.
2. "Karaköy'deki Kadıköy İskelesi". blogcu.com (in Turkish). Retrieved 18 December 2017.
3. "Tarihçe". sehirhatlari.istanbul (in Turkish). Retrieved 16 December 2017.