TURKEY RAILWAY STATION BUILDINGS

I received a very beautiful set of stamps from Akin, Turkey. They illustrate, very nicely, important Turkish railway stations, both interior and exterior views and an express train.

Turkey's largest and most magnificent railway station, Haydarpasa, shown on the first stamp, was built in the early 20th century by the German architects Otto Ritter and Helmuth Cuno. A monument to the close Turkish - German relations of the time, the station was built in neo-renaissance style and has an U-plan. The inauguration ceremony took place on 19 August 1908, just after the proclamation of the Second Constitution

Foto by Arthur Eades

The facade is covered in textured sandstone, and the main facade overlooking Kadikoy Bay rests on a foundation of 1100 timber piles. The steep pitched roof is slated, and the interior is decorated with trailing foliage cartouches and garlands, and stained glass window. The ceiling of the circular room at the base of the southeast tower has ribbed vaults, and the upper landings have groin vaults. Flights of marble steps lead up from the quay to the monumental facade flanked by circular turrets with conical roofs, clock tower rising in the form of a crest at the centre, baroque decoration, balconies, molded cornices, and pilasters.

This splendid station building welcomes those arriving in Istanbul from Anatolia by train, and is the last sight of this enchanting city for those leaving with a mixture of emotions. Since 1908 Haydarpasa Station has witnessed many memorable events, both tragic and joyful. During World War I troops boarded trains for the front from here, many never to return, and in 1917 it was badly damaged in a bomb attack. Exuberant crowds welcomed Mustafa Kemal Atatürk here on many occasions when he arrived from Ankara.

Once upon a time, passengers of the Orient Express arriving at Istanbul from Europe and those who wanted to continue towards Baghdad, had to take a boat across the Bosphorus and board a train from Haydarpasa station.
Although with the increase in road transport and the advent of motorways Haydarpasa Station has lost its former importance, this magnificent building is still a landmark on the Asian shore of the city.

Want to make a virtual tour, click here.

Istanbul Sirkeci Terminal (Turkish: Sirkeci Garı), illustrated on the second stamp, is Istanbul's terminus for trains from Edirne and Europe. 
This is where the famed Orient Express ended its run from Paris, at the 19th-century Orientalist station near Seraglio Point beneath the walls of Topkapı Palace, right next to Eminönü, its ferry docks, and Galata Bridge.

The original front of the station (wikipedia)

The construction of the terminal building began on February 11, 1888. The terminus, which was initially named "Müşir Ahmet Paşa Station", was opened on November 3, 1890, replacing the temporary one. The architect of the project was August Jachmund, a Prussian who was sent to Istanbul by the German government in order to study Ottoman architecture. The terminal building which rises on an area of 1,200 m2 (13,000 sq ft) is one of the most famous examples of European Orientalism, and has influenced the designs of other architects. The building was also modern, having gas lighting and heating in winter.

The terminal restaurant became a meeting point for journalists, writers and other prominent people from the media in the 1950s and 1960s. The same restaurant, today called "Orient Express", is a popular spot among tourists.

The current station is preserved in its original state, but the areas around the terminal building have largely changed since 1890.

Several trains still run between Sirkeci and Edirne each day, and one, the Bosphorus Express, heads off toEastern Europe, but the best train out of Sirkeci is the Dostluk/Filia Express to Thessaloniki, Greece.

You may take a virtual tour, click here.

Title: RAILWAY STATIONS
Date of Issue: 15 October 2008
Country: Turkey
Denominations: 0,65+10 and 0,80+10 kuruş
Source: www.filateli.gov.tr