The World’s Second Subway
The construction of the Tunnel that is the second oldest subway of the world began with the initiative of Eugene Henri Gavand, The French engineer. Mr. Gavand who had come to Istanbul came into presence of Abdul Aziz Khan, the ottoman Sultan after preparing a railway project which will connect Galata that is the heart of trade and banking of the period and pera where the heart of social life beats. Operation of the Tunnel was determined as 42-years period of time and it opened to service in the January 1875 by constructing with build operate transfer model. Wooden wagons which the two sides of them are open and were working with steam system were illuminated with gas lamps because of the reason that there was no electricity when the Tunnel began to operate. It remained separate from it passengers for a while during the days of the Second World War because some materials could not be bought. It renovated in 1971 and continued to operate with electricity. The Tunnel travels over 573 meters distance between Karaköy and Beyoğlu in only 90 seconds and carries approximately 12 thousand of passengers by plying 200 trips per day