Category: Infrastructure
Type: Urban
Location: Haydarpaşa, Rasimpaşa, Kadıköy
Date: 5500–3500 BC
Designer: Unknown
Period: Ancient & Hellenistic
Photos: Anadolu Ajansı (aa.com.tr)
The archaeological remains of ancient Chalcedon, recently brought to light during extensive excavations near the Haydarpaşa railway station in Kadıköy, provide a significant architectural record of the city’s transition from a Greek colony to a major Byzantine urban center. Historically recognized as the Land of the Blind, the site features a diverse array of structures including a massive 5th-century apsidal church, well-preserved Roman-era bath complexes, and a network of residential streets that illustrate the organized urban planning of the period. Architecturally, the remains are characterized by robust masonry, marble ornamentation, and intricate floor mosaics, reflecting the strategic importance of this maritime settlement and offering vital clues about the daily life and engineering prowess of a civilization that thrived long before the rise of modern Istanbul.
