Archeological discoveries unearthed in excavations at Istanbul's train station

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ISTANBUL, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Turkish archeologists have unearthed a series of historical remains during the ongoing excavations at a train terminal in Istanbul, local media reported on Tuesday.

The excavations covering an area of 68,000 square meters have been completed in Haydarpasa Train Station located at the Asian district of Kadikoy, according to the Demiroren news agency.

A Hellenistic tomb and several new tombs, a casting workshop, a Byzantine-era holy spring, and a shelter established during World War II have been uncovered since the excavations launched in 2018.

The two-entrance shelter with a length of 400 meters was built in the 1940s to protect soldiers in case of a possible attack, Demiroren reported.

A fountain of the Ottoman period has also been unearthed, and the total number of coins excavated has increased to 20,000.

Experts argued that the discoveries would shed light on the history of Kadikoy, formerly known as Chalcedon or the "Land of the Blind."

Yalcin Eyigun, general manager of Infrastructure Investments of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, said the excavations covering a total area of 140,000 square meters are expected to be completed in two years.

Eyigun told Demiroren that the terminal would not only serve as a train station but also host an archaeological park and an industrial heritage museum.

"We have spent 255 million Turkish liras or 28.3 million U.S. dollars so far," he said, adding that the total cost is expected to reach 700 million liras in total.

The Haydarpasa station, constructed in 1908, was a major intercity, regional, and commuter rail hub, as well as the busiest railway station in the country until 2012. The terminal was shut for restoration in 2013, and the excavations began in 2018. Enditem

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