 |
ABOUT ISTANBUL THE BOSPHORUS
Kumkapı Fish Restaurants:
TOPKAPI PALACE UP
Topkapi Palace which was built by Mehmet The Conqueror between the years
1462 and 1478 was constructed at Seraglio Point surrounded by the Sea of
Marmara, the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus . It is located on the first
hill of old city. Topkapi Palace is one of the finest examples of the Ottoman
civil architecture in existence. After harems were added to it Suleyman
moved with all his harem to the new palace. Topkapi Palace, the greatest
residence of The Ottoman Dynasty, is one of the best museums in the world.
This vast and fascinating complex served as Imperial residence for the
Ottoman Empire for more than four centuries.
Topkapi Palace consisted of three courts and a large terrace. The first
court was open to the public but the second court requiresd special permission
to enter. The third court was reserved for servants, court officials and
students, This court had a mint. the Ministry of Finances, a bakery and
a hospital.
The second gate, which looked like a fortress with two towers opened into
the second court. The Kitchens were located to the right and consisted
of ten rooms with three large domes. In each room cooking was done for
different ranks-for the sultan, for his mother and his wives. A head cook,
ten chefs and 480 cooks worked each day cooking for 5000- 7000 people and
during holiday time for 10000- 12000 people. Today Chinese, Japanese, Turkish
and European porcelain are exhibited in these former kitchens. This is
the world's third largest collection of porcelain after Peking and Dresden.
The complex of the harem has 400 rooms,10 baths, 2 mosques, a hospital
and a prison. The most influential person in the harem after the sultan
was the sultan's mother. The third most important person in the harem was
the Chief Black Eunuch.
In addition, the third court included schools, a summer residence and bath,
government buildings and a mosque.
In the first room one can see the armor of Mustafa III, decorated with
gems, the ivory throne of Murat IV, a golden music box in the shape of
an elephant, pearl trimmed Koran holders, golden water pipes, tobacco boxes,
shields, swords, helmets, daggers pistols, and vases of jade.
In the second room is the canopy throne decorated with mother of pearl,
emeralds and rubies belonging to Ahmet I, the golden cradle of the princes,
precious stones, and the Topkapi dagger with emeralds and 22 uncut emeralds.
The third room contains the 86 carat diamond surrounded by 49 brilliants,
two golden candle holders, and an Indian throne trimmed with 250.000 pearls.
In the former government building, built by Mehmet II, the holy relics
brought from Egypt by Sultan Selim are kept. The prophet's mantle, Muhammad's
sword, his bamboo bow, his letter to the patriarch of Egypt, one of his
teeth, a hair from his beard, and his footprint in the marble of Mecca
can be seen.
The terrace is decorated with several pavilions, the most beautiful being
the Bagdat Pavilion which was built to commemorate the conquest of Bagdat
in 1638. Other pavillions include The Revan Pavilion which was built in
1631, The Mecidiye Pavilion built in the 18th century and the Sofa Pavilion
built in 1704.
DOLMABAHCE PALACE UP
This beautiful Ottoman Palace, magnificently situated at the European side
of the Bosphorus strait, was built by the son of Mahmut II, Sultan Abdulmecit
1839-1861, who ascended the throne at the age 16. His decision to have
a new fashionable residence similar to European palaces started the construction
of the Dolmabahce Palace in 1843.
After the demolition of the former palace in wood, the work for the new
palace started under architects Garabet and Nikogos Balyan, members of
the famous Balyan family which gave nine reputed architect to the Ottoman
Empire for nearly a century. Serving under the six sultans, they were responsible
for the westernization of the city's architecture. The construction of
the palace which covers an area of 250.000 square meters, took about 13
years and finished in 1855. Abdulmecit, the first occupant of the palace,
lived there 15 years. Since some of the Sultans didn't show too much interest
to Dolmabahce palace, it stayed empty most of its time.
Dolmabahce Palace consisted of the sultans wing, the festival greeting
hall(also known as the throne hall) and the harem. To impress foreign ambassadors
they were received through the entrance hall which was decorated with vases
from Sevres and Yildiz and led up stairs with railings made of crystal
glass from Venice. Crystal and silver candle holders, crystal chandeliers,
curtains of silk from Hereke, gilded cornices and silk carpets, rooms decorated
with painting of the Russian artist Aiwazowsky gave everyone the impression
that one was in the residency of a wealthy emperor.
The baroque clock tower and the Dolmabahce Mosque, commissioned by the
mother of Abdulmecit I and built by Sarkis Balyan in 1853, complete the
Dolmabahce Palace complex.
Dolmabahce was the favorite palace of Abdulmecit and Mehmet Resat who reigned
during the first World War.
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, died in this
palace on the 10th of November, 1938.
BEYLERBEYI PALACE UP
Beylerbeyi Palace on the Asiatic shore was built by Abdulaziz between the
years 1861-1865. The architect was Sarkis Balyan, one member of the famous
Balyan family, which gave nine reputed palaces to The Ottoman Empire over
nearly a century. Serving under the six sultans, they were responsible
for the westernization of the city's architecture.
The old palace had been built by Mahmut II, during the years 1826-1827
but the building was damaged during a fire.
Beylerbeyi Palace served as a summer residence. There are many architectural
resemblances between this building and the Dolmabahce Palace.
The palace has 6 halls and 24 rooms. The decoration of the ceiling was
done by Turkish, Italian, and French artists Chelebowsky was brought to
the palace to paint its ceilings.
The curtains and upholstery materials are Hereke Silks.
Geometrical patterns are noticeable with colored floral bouquets in medallions.
There is no heating system because it was built as a summer palace.
Beylerbey Palace has been used as a guest house for many royal visitors
such as the French Queen Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon III, Franz Joseph,
Austrian emperor, Nasireddin, The Shah of Iran and Edward VIII, The British
King.
CIRAGAN PALACE UP
The most picturesque spots along the Bosphorus , the area where Cıragan
Palace Hotel Kempinski Istanbul now stands was known, in the 17th century,
as Kazancioglu Garden.
In the second half of the 16th century, High Admiral Kilic Ali Pasha had
a waterfront house here, and in the 17th century (1648) Sultan Murat IV
gave the imperial garden to his daughter, Kaya Sultan, and her husband,
Grand Vizier Melek Ahmet Pasha. They had a small wooden mansion built here
in which they would spend the summer months. At the beginning of the 18th
century, Ahmet III presented the house and grounds to his son-in-law, Grand
Vizier Ibrahim Pasha of Nevsehir, who organized torchlight fetes known
as Çırağan Senlikleri (Cıragan Festivals) with his wife, Fatma Sultan.
It was then that the area became known as Cıragan.
Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, wife of the English ambassador Edward Wortley
Montagu, who lived in Istanbul between 1717-1718, wrote of the original
Cıragan Palace in her letters, published after her death; " It is situated
on one of the most delightful parts of the canal, with a fine wood on the
side of a hill behind it. The extent of it is prodigious; the guardian
assured me there were eight hundred rooms in it, I will not however, answer
for that number since I did not count them; but 'tis certain the number
is very large, and the whole adorned with a profusion of marble, gilding
and the most exquisite painting of fruit and flowers. The windows are all
sashed with the finest crystalline glass brought from England, and here
is all the expensive magnificence that you can suppose in a palace founded
by a young man, with the wealth of a vast empire at his command." This
original palace was to be torn down and rebuilt many times over the next
two centuries. After the rebellion of 1730 which brought the great Tulip
era to an end, the palace was left empty and fell into disrepair. It was
finally taken over by Mahmut I and used as a banqueting hall for foreign
ambassadors.
Selim III's Grand Vizier Yusuf Ziya Pasha bought the Palace, demolished
it, and commissioned Kirkor Balian to build a new palace in marble which
he presented to the Sultan in 1805. Selim III then gave the Palace to his
sister, Beyhan Sultan, but she returned it. This palace, used as a summer
house during the reign of Mahmud II, was again demolished and rebuilt on
a large scale by Garabed Balian in 1835-1843. Although great quantities
of wood were used, the main section was made from marble and stone and
included forty classical columns.
When Sultan Abdulmecid decided to move his official residence to Dolmabahce
Palace in 1855, the Cıragan Palace was torn down again , to be replaced
by an imposig stone edifice designed by Nigogos Balian, and the foundations
of the present palace were laid. However, due to financial problems and
the "Kuleli olayi" (an uncovered conspiracy to assassinate the sultan)
the construction of the palace was only half finished. It was only completed
in 1857, after Abdulaziz acceded to the throne. Abdulaziz demanded his
palace to be built in Arab style as a memorial to his reign. Artists were
sent to Spain and North Africa to make drawings of the famous buildings
there.
The story goes that the Sultan interfered with the design so much that
the plans were redrawn twenty times before he was satisfied. The palace
doors, each worth one thousand gold pieces, were so admired by "Kaiser
Wilhelm" that some were presented to him as a gift and stand today in Berlin
Museum. The finest marble and mother-of-pearl were brought from all over
the world for the new Cıragan Palace; construction was completed at a total
cost of five million Ottoman gold liras. But Sultan Abdulaziz only lived
here for a few months before pronouncing it to be too damp to stay in and
moving out again. This former residence of king was destined to share the
fate of the declining Ottoman Empire.
Sultan Murat V, deposed during a military takeover, was held prisoner here
with his family until his death in 1904. After this the palace became the
new location for parliament and was opened on November 14, 1909. Parliament
convened here for just two months before a fire, which broke out in the
central heating vents, destroyed the entire palace in just under five hours,
leaving only a stone shell. Priceless antiques, paintings and books were
lost, along with many vital documents. In 1946, Parliament gave the palace,
its outbuildings and grounds, to Istanbul Municipality where it was used
as a dumping ground for sand and other construction materials. It was also
used as a swimming pool and was a football ground for the local team. It
seemed only a matter of time before the last remnants of the former palace
would be torn down once and for all.
|
|
|
