The ongoing road widening works in the Tekkeköy district of Samsun have revealed an important historical secret hidden deep in the city. During the works, the ruins of a historical train station, thought to date back to the Ottoman Empire, were encountered. This discovery created great excitement by shedding light on Samsun’s unknown transportation history with its wooden structures, rail pieces and bilingual signs from the period.
Traces of an Unfinished Railway Project
According to experts, these ruins found during roadworks belong to an ambitious railway project that aimed to connect the Black Sea ports to the inner parts of Anatolia in the late Ottoman period, but could not be completed for various reasons. The unearthed train station has wooden-framed structures reflecting the architecture of the period and With signs written in French and Turkish These bilingual signs reveal the international connections of the project and the multilingual cultural structure of the period.
Historian Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nilgün Çelik from Ondokuz Mayıs University said that the station is most likely It was started to be built for strategic reasons during World War I. however, he states that it could not be completed due to war conditions and changing political balances. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Çelik emphasizes that this discovery reveals not only Samsun's maritime trade and role in the War of Independence, but also the city's potential in railway history. The statements "This structure reveals Samsun's role not only in maritime but also in railway history" summarize this important contribution to the city's multi-layered history.
Documents and Communication Networks from the Past
Detailed examinations of the excavation site also unearthed important findings such as sealed documents from the period, rusted telegraph machines and mail sacks. These objects were used not only for passenger transport but also regional communications and postal services Experts say that these findings indicate that Samsun was planned to be a strategic location 100 years ago to be a regional communication and transportation center. While postal sacks and telegraph machines provide valuable clues about how the communication networks of the period worked, they also reveal how comprehensive this project was considered.
Call for Protection and Promotion from Local People
The local people who support these historical findings in Tekkeköy have made a strong demand for the area to be protected and included in Samsun's cultural route. Citizens who think that this discovery once again reveals the importance of local heritage and history are making efforts to transfer this infrastructure to future generations.
Samsun Metropolitan Municipality did not remain indifferent to this important discovery. Municipality officials stated that the remains the idea of turning it into an open-air museum The authorities announced that a concrete step would be taken after the completion of archaeological and historical evaluations. This museum project could create an important tourism attraction center that would both ensure the preservation of the ruins and introduce Samsun's rich history to visitors.
A New Dimension to Samsun's Historical Identity
This latest development has once again reinforced Samsun's place in history. As is known, the city has an important position in the establishment of the Republic of Turkey, as it was the starting point of the War of Independence. However, this discovery in Tekkeköy is not only about Samsun's role in the war of independence, It is also one of the important centers of transportation history. once again revealed. These railway ruins, dating from the last period of the Ottoman Empire to the early years of the Republic, help us understand the multifaceted development and strategic importance of the city.
This discovery is proof that Samsun continues to uncover its rich underground history and leaves an important cultural heritage for future generations. Such findings not only shed light on the city's past, but are also of great importance in terms of preserving and promoting cultural heritage. The emergence of Samsun's "Railway Past" in this way adds a new dimension to the city's historical and cultural potential.
