Old Customs Building

Old Customs Building

You are at the heart Izmir trade scene, Old Customs Building, or Konak Pier (modern name).

From mid 17th century on, Izmir started taking over as the primary trade hub of Middle East over Aleppo, and has become a very large trade and port town, where commodities arriving from Central Asia and Iran reached naval means of transport. Increasing demand of European folks especially for cotton and cotton products turned Izmir into a very important hub of Mediterranean.

Customs officials running Izmir customs department used a rental building as office and house until 1675. After this time, they moved to a special customs building built by Koprulu Fazil Ahmet Pasha (Grand Vizier of Ottoman Empire at the time) to prevent smuggling, but it wasn't enough.

In order to prevent smuggling and help with ship loading-unloading process which was very difficult, a building a dock was proposed to be built in the 1860s. Three English entrepreneurs acquired a prerogative to construct a 900 square metre new customs building and warehouses in 1867, but it was passed on to Dussaud Brothers of France.

Dock and customs building was opened in 1880. But they proved to be insufficient shortly, and new customs buildings were built, and opened in 1888 with a grand ceremony. Epitaph of this new building praises Abdul Hamid II highly, and mentions a fountain that didn't survive modern day.

Between 1905-1913, new landfill area was created, and a large hall was built over it. Built entirely in masonry style, this building also featured a small laboratory with double doors opening to central space.

This building was used as Customs Building until 1954, and in the 1960s it was converted to a fish market. Later, in 1974, stone building, two wood frame warehouses, and part of the customs building were assigned to the Navy. Since the most recent restoration, which was completed in 2003, this place is a mall.

With an authentic architectural style and prime location at water front, Konak Pier is most definitely one of the most important structures in Izmir. There is one unconfirmed claim we have to add here: this building is rumoured to be drawn by famous French architect Gustav Eiffel, but there is no document or evidence to support this.