The Tunnel was the first underground subway on the European continent and was opened on January 17, 1875
The Tünel is a short underground subway (cableway) with two cars on the north side of the Golden Horn in Istanbul, Turkey. The line extends between the districts Karaköy (Galata) and Beyoğlu (Pera), about a distance of about 573 meters. The Tünel was opened on January 17, 1875, making it the second underground railway in the world after the London Metro (1863). However, the first underground metro station with several stations on the European continent was the Budapest Metro (1896). History A cross section of the tunnel by Eugène-Henri Gavand (1876)
The Tünel was designed by the French engineer Eugène-Henri Gavand in 1867. Many people from the Pera district worked on the coast in Galata, then relatively new neighborhoods, and walked down the hill every day. The idea was to make a tunnel to save people the 60-foot climb. On November 6, 1869, Sultan Abdülaziz authorized permission to carry out the project and with foreign financing, construction began on July 30, 1871. In December 1874, construction was completed and on January 17, 1875 the Tünel opened for travelers. >
At the opening the cars were working on steam. In 1939, the Tünel became a nationalized and part of the IETT, the Istanbul Electric Tram and Tunnel Society. In 1971, the Tünel was renovated and modernized. He was electrified, the wooden carts were replaced with new metals. The track became ankle-wise, with a double track in the center section where the two carts passed. In 2007, the cars were replaced with more modern ones. Current position The Tünel originally had two jobs but now works with a single track
The Tünel is not an important means of transport anymore in Istanbul. However, he is still in operation and the public transport tickets are valid. In addition to local residents, the Tünel nowadays transports many tourists. Galata and Pera are now called Karaköy and Beyoğlu. The low station is Karaköy on the east side of Tersane Caddesi, and the high station is called Tünel Meydanı on the Tünel square south of Istiklâl Caddesi. A ride takes about one and a half minutes with a maximum speed of 25 km / h.
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