Galataport Istanbul, a new social, cultural and lifestyle destination on almost a mile of Bosphorus coastline, will open this year in the city’s Karakoy district. The $1.7 billion project will revive the historic port and welcome 25 million visitors a year, including 7 million tourists and 1.5 million cruise passengers and crew.

“Galataport Istanbul is an inspiration for ports of the future,” said Figen Ayan, CPO, Galataport Istanbul. “This heritage project saw multiple feats of engineering achieved by the close cooperation of Turkish engineers and international consultants to create the project’s most significant and unique aspects — the world’s first underground terminal building with a unique hatch system creating a temporary customs area and security area.”

Galataport will house state-of-the-art cruise facilities. The area can accommodate three ships and 15,000 passengers per day, and cruise activities are scheduled to start this month.

The port will also serve as a lifestyle destination with arts, culture, gastronomy, shopping and a Renzo Piano-designed building of Istanbul Modern. Additional historic buildings are undergoing restorations and the area will continue to develop. A 177-room The Peninsula Istanbul is set to open in 2022.