Kabatas is a town by the Bosphorus on the European side between Besiktas in the North and Tophane and Karaköy in the South. The old names of Kabatas were Aiantion, Petra Thermatis and Butharion. The name Kabatas is believed to come from a huge rock in the area.
Kabatas port was built in the 19th century and a column (Hadika) was built by the Sultan Abdülmecid. Kabatas also has the famous Dolmabahçe Palace. Before the palace was built, there was a cove in the area and people going to Besiktas had to take a boat at the Arap İskelesi to get to the other side. Then the cove was filled and the palace was built on the cove.
Kabatas is a central station for sea transportation. From Kabatas, you can get to Üsküdar by ferry, boat and arabali vapur, to the islands by ferry and to Yalova and Cinarcik by seabus. It is also one of the starting points to start a Bosphorus tour. You can also take the funicular, cable wheele, to Taksim from Kabatas.
Did you know?
The first ferry journey was made in Kabataş and the ferryboats invented by Hüseyin Haki Efendi, the manager of the ferry company, carried horse carriages between Kabataş and Harem.
The first theatre in Turkey, Saray Tiyatrosu, was built in Kabataş in the reign of the Sultan Abdülmecid in the 19th century. The first performance was “Belle Helene” operet by an Austrian troupe.
