The historic identity of Haliç and its surroundings has allowed the area to grow with various religious and cultural structures. During this time, merchant ships from four corners of the world would sail into the blue waters of Haliç and create a unique view. However, Haliç became polluted very fast after becoming an industrial site in 1954. The industrial side of Haliç brought with it unplanned structuring. As a result, Haliç, once a culture valley and home to numerous civilizations, became a swamp in which even rowing boats did not have a chance of sailing.
The first step of the Haliç Environmental Project, in place since 1995, was to rid Haliç of mud. The life line support project from Boğaz to Haliç that followed revived the water at Haliç, and became a habitat for underwater creatures once again.
Today, Haliç is home to around 50 types of fish. The foot stones of a culture valley have been planted by converting industrial sites around Haliç into culture centers and museums. The historical and cultural nature of surroundings of Haliç, one of Istanbul`s oldest residential areas, sets forth the tourism potential in the area, and sits in the center of cultural places and activities.