ISTANBUL, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- Türkiye is set to unveil a "groundbreaking" archaeological park at the historic Haydarpasa Train Station later this year, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu announced.
The park, a first in the country, will feature artifacts unearthed during extensive excavations beneath Haydarpasa Station's railways in Istanbul's Kadikoy district, on the Asian side along the shores of the Marmara Sea, Uraloglu said during an inspection earlier this week.
Since 2018, archaeologists have uncovered over 100,000 square meters of historical remains spanning the Ottoman, Byzantine, and ancient periods. Discoveries include lamp fragments, coins, underground tombs, and rare Hellenistic relics.
Ayse Ovur, an archaeologist involved in the project, noted that excavations at Haydarpasa station, including over 12,000 coins from the 5th to 7th centuries B.C., "revealed previously inaccessible historical data and shed light on life" in this part of Istanbul.
Ovur added that the archaeological park is expected to become a significant educational and tourism site, attracting visitors with its rich historical context. Transforming the Haydarpasa excavation site into an "archeopark" will be transformative for Istanbul, she said.
"Educational programs for young people, students, and children will deepen their understanding of history and archaeology," Ovur stated.
Excavation leader Rahmi Asal highlighted one of the most remarkable findings: a 5th-century A.D. church containing architectural remnants and a hypogeum, where 35 skeletons were discovered.
"The successive burial patterns suggest that these individuals may have died suddenly, possibly due to a disease," Asal said. "This excavation alone underscores the site's immense historical significance."
Inaugurated in 1872 during the Ottoman Empire, Haydarpasa Train Station faced a significant setback when a devastating fire in 2010 caused the roof to collapse, rendering the fourth floor unusable.
The station has remained dormant since the launch of the Marmaray Tunnel in 2013. Restoration efforts to make the station operational again have been progressing in tandem with the ongoing excavations.
