Moda İskelesi is the historic ferry pier of the Moda neighborhood in Kadıköy, located on İstanbul’s Asian side. Overlooking the Sea of Marmara, the pier has long served as both a transportation hub and a social landmark, reflecting the layered maritime history of the city.

Designed by renowned Ottoman architect Vedat Tek, who also worked on Haydarpaşa Pier and the former Kadıköy Pier, Moda İskelesi represents an important example of early 20th-century Ottoman civic architecture. Before the pier existed, the coastline featured a small projection used as a docking point for boats carrying firewood to the nearby Moda Deniz Kulübü. Historical photographs dated to 1904 show this projection extended into a proper pier, topped with a domed, cylindrical ticket booth.

Between 1916–1919, according to differing historical sources, the current two-storey pier building was constructed following Vedat Tek’s project. The structure was built offshore in shallow waters, connected to land by a narrow access road that still links the pier to Moda Caddesi today.

🏛️ Architectural Features

Moda İskelesi is architecturally distinctive, with each façade designed differently. The southern façade, facing the sea, features five symmetrical pointed arches above which the name Moda is written in Ottoman Turkish script (مودلا). The northern façade, facing the land, has three arched entrances flanked by former ticket windows. Originally, the ground floor housed ticket offices, restrooms, a boatmen’s room, and a passenger hall, while the upper floor was accessed via a spiral staircase from the former Moda Beach side.

⚓ Changing Functions Through Time

For decades, Moda İskelesi served active ferry routes before being decommissioned in 1986 due to declining passenger numbers. In subsequent years, the building functioned as a yacht club, seaside casino, and restaurant. After being fully closed in 2015, the pier underwent a comprehensive restoration by İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality.

On 19 August 2022, Moda İskelesi reopened with a new identity:

• Upper floor: Moda İskelesi Library

• Lower floor: Book-café and reading hall

The library spans 250 square meters, accommodates 87 readers, and houses approximately 6,500 books, transforming the pier into a quiet cultural retreat above the sea.

🚢 Today: Access & Living Culture

Ferry services resumed, initially connecting Kabataş–Kadıköy–Moda–Bostancı. As of 1 January 2024, routes were reorganized to operate on the Bostancı–Moda–Karaköy–Kabataş line, once again integrating Moda İskelesi into İstanbul’s maritime transport network.

Today, the pier is valued not only as a transportation stop but also as a serene place to read, observe the sea, and experience Moda’s refined, slow-paced lifestyle.

🎯 Things to Do at Moda İskelesi

• Read or study at Moda İskelesi Library

• Enjoy coffee at the book-café overlooking the sea

• Watch ferries pass along the Marmara coastline

• Photograph Ottoman architectural details

• Use the pier as a starting point for Moda coastal walks

🌤️ Best Time to Visit

• Spring & Autumn: Mild weather and quiet atmosphere

• Weekday mornings: Ideal for reading and photography

• Sunset hours: Golden light over the Marmara Sea