Pasaport Ferry Terminal () is a passenger

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

in Konak,

İzmir İzmir is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, third most populous city in Turkey, after Istanbul and Ankara. It is on the Aegean Sea, Aegean coast of Anatolia, and is the capital of İzmir Province. In 2024, the city of İzmir had ...

on the

Gulf of İzmir The Gulf of İzmir (), 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 anchorage. The city of İz ...

. It is located at the northern end of the historic Pasaport Quay on the southwestern side of

Cumhuriyet Square ''Cumhuriyet'' (; English: "Republic") is the oldest up-market Turkish daily newspaper. It has been described as "the most important independent public interest newspaper in contemporary Turkey". The newspaper was awarded the ''Freedom of Press ...

. 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 Alsancak is a neighbourhood in the municipality and district of Konak, İzmir, Konak, İzmir Province, Turkey. Its population is 5,581 (2022). It is part of the historic center of the city of İzmir. Overview As a notional zone, Alsancak extends ...

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 (, "Smyrna Catastrophe"; , "1922 İzmir Fire"; , ''Zmyuṙnio Mets Hrdeh'') destroyed much of the port city of Smyrna (modern İzmir, Turkey) in September 1922. Eyewitness reports state that the fire began on 13 September 1 ...

, 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: * Orlov revolt (1770) Greeks' first major, organized Revolt against the Ottoman Empire with the support of Russia *Greek War of Independence (1821–1830), against the Ottoman Empire * First Greco-Turkish ...

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

Seljuk Seljuk (, ''Selcuk'') or Saljuq (, ''Saljūq'') 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 * S ...

- Ottoman architectural style of the

First National Architectural Movement The First national architecture movement (), also referred to in Turkey as the National architecture Renaissance (), or Turkish Neoclassical architecture (), was a period of Turkish architecture that was most prevalent between 1908 and 1930 but ...

, 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 İzmir between 1926 and 1935. In co ...

, 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

terminals Üçkuyular, Göztepe,

Bayraklı Bayraklı is a municipality and district of İzmir Province, Turkey. Its area is 30 km2, and its population is 299,859 (2024). It covers the northern part of the metropolitan area of İzmir İzmir is the List of largest cities and tow ...

, Bostanlı and

Karşıyaka Karşıyaka () is a municipality and district of İzmir Province, Turkey. Its area is 51 km2, and its population is 346,264 (2022). The district extends for twelve kilometres along the northern and eastern coastline of the tip of the Gulf of ...

. 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.

References

External links

Images at wooturkey
{{İzmir 1884 establishments in the Ottoman Empire Buildings and structures completed in 1884 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 Burning of Smyrna