Kefe’ye (Feodosiya) Giden Bir Demiryolu İnşa Edilmeli mi? Canköy- Feodosiya Demiryolunun İnşa Süreci

Located at a strategically significant position on the Black Sea, the Crimean Khanate was annexed by Catherine II in 1783 and incorporated into the Russian Empire. Following Russia’s acquisition of the Black Sea coastline, the empire initiated the construction of new cities and the modernization of existing ones throughout the region. After the first quarter of the nineteenth century, the rapid expansion of railway networks in Western Europe also inspired Russian industrial and military planners to invest in railway construction. Although the Russian Empire rapidly built numerous railway lines, it became evident after the Crimean War that these lines were insufficient to meet the empire’s logistical and military needs. The absence of a railway line to Sevastopol was frequently cited in the Russian press as a major reason for the defeat in the war; it was even argued that had there been a railway connecting Crimea to the mainland, the outcome might have been different. In the aftermath of the war, Russian authorities moved swiftly to develop several projects aimed at integrating Crimea into the imperial railway network. Among the key urban centres prioritized in these plans were Sevastopol and Feodosia. After prolonged debates, the first railway line in Crimea the Lozovaya-Sevastopol line was constructed. As Sevastopol evolved into the principal base of the Russian navy, the need for a new port capable of supporting Crimea’s commercial requirements became increasingly evident, giving rise to numerous proposals. One of the most significant among them was the project for a railway connecting the port of Kaffa (Feodosia) to the main railway network. Following extended discussions, this project was eventually approved, and in 1892 the railway connecting Dzhankoy station on the Lozovaya-Sevastopol route to Feodosia was inaugurated. This study examines the debates preceding the construction of the Dzhankoy-Feodosia railway, its building process, the official opening of the line, and the broader economic and infrastructural impact it had on the Kaffa (Feodosia) region. Within this framework, the impacts of the railway on the region’s economic structure, trade volume, and settlement patterns will be assessed from a holistic perspective.