The Golden Horn is a natural bay that has shaped the rhythm and face of Istanbul for centuries. It was thanks to this bay that the city became a trading hub back in Byzantine times. During the Ottoman period, life here was bustling: numerous ships, shipyards, warehouses, and piers. However, the industrial growth of the 20th century also had negative consequences for the bay in the form of a large number of industrial facilities and pollution (water, air). Today, this area is undergoing a major transformation.
Ecological reconstruction of the Golden Horn
The large-scale reconstruction of the Golden Horn began in the 1980s and continues to this day. Over the years, more than 4,000 buildings on the shores of the Golden Horn have been demolished, businesses have been relocated to new industrial centers outside the city, the shores have been turned into parks and gardens, and wastewater has been treated. The ecological rehabilitation required the coordination of dozens of agencies and international expertise.
The water quality in the bay has improved so much that fish have returned, and on weekends you can see fishermen with their rods. The restoration project was not limited to cleaning the water. Green areas, walking paths, and bicycle routes were created along the entire coastline.
The most ambitious renovation project was the transformation of the historic Ottoman shipyards into the multifunctional cultural and entertainment complex “Tersane Istanbul.” The project aims to reconstruct the historic Golden Horn shipyard. This 1.8-kilometer stretch of coastline has been closed to the public for almost 150 years. As part of the project, two marinas with a capacity of 70 yachts and three hotels will be built here, as well as three museums, including Turkey’s first Museum of Women’s Culture. The first sections opened in September 2024, with the rest to be introduced gradually.
The transformation of the Golden Horn is radically changing the map of attractive areas in Istanbul: the districts of Fener, Balat, and Halikoglu are experiencing a real renaissance. Steady price growth has always been characteristic of real estate in Istanbul https://myestateinvest.com/en/istanbul/ , but previously this trend did not apply to the coastal areas of the Golden Horn. Apartments with water views and new residential complexes built on the site of former industrial zones have become particularly sought after. The development of transport infrastructure also plays an important role. New bridges across the Golden Horn, metro lines, and bus routes are making coastal areas more accessible.
Over the past few decades, the city authorities have invested billions of liras in water purification, creating parks, and transforming former industrial areas into cultural and residential neighborhoods. And it has paid off: the Golden Horn is regaining its status as the jewel of the city, which it enjoyed during the Byzantine and Ottoman empires.