By Etem Geylan

ISTANBUL

Turkish president on Saturday broke ground for a giant project that will feature science and culture centers, hotels, museums as well as marinas at Istanbul’s historic Halic (Golden Horn) Shipyard.

The project -- titled Tersane Istanbul -- will positively contribute to Turkey’s tourism revenues, Recep Tayyip Erdogan told the audience at the shipyard on Istanbul’s European side.

After the completion of the project, Erdogan said, it will be the largest science center in Europe.

Around 30 million people are expected to visit the Tersane Istanbul when it is opened, he added.

The first phase of the project is expected to open in November 2020, said the Turkish president.

He said that the project will feature three museums -- including Turkey’s first women museum as well as Sadberk Hanim Museum, which will be moved from Istanbul’s Sariyer district to the new location, and a Turkish-Islamic arts museum.

Last year, Erdogan had said the science center will hold exhibitions on digital and virtual reality, artificial intelligence, maritime and shipyards, and science history.

The science center is expected to have “a technology center with an international reputation, a digital thematic library and innovation center, training programs, workshops and science activities."

The Halic Shipyard was established in 1455, two years after Istanbul was conquered by Sultan Mehmet II.