The Khedive's Palace ( tr, Hıdiv Kasrı, "Khedive Palace"
), also known as Çubuklu Palace
(''Çubuklu Sarayı''),
is located on the Asian side of the
Bosphorus
The Bosporus Strait (; grc, Βόσπορος ; tr, İstanbul Boğazı 'Istanbul strait', colloquially ''Boğaz'') or Bosphorus Strait is a natural strait and an internationally significant waterway located in Istanbul in northwestern Tu ...
in
Istanbul
Istanbul ( , ; tr, İstanbul ), formerly known as Constantinople ( grc-gre, Κωνσταντινούπολις; la, Constantinopolis), is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, serving as the country's economic, ...
,
Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
, and was once the residence of
Khedive
Khedive (, ota, خدیو, hıdiv; ar, خديوي, khudaywī) was an honorific title of Persian origin used for the sultans and grand viziers of the Ottoman Empire, but most famously for the viceroy of Egypt from 1805 to 1914.Adam Mestyan"Kh ...
Abbas II of
Egypt and Sudan. In
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
it is also known as the Khedive's Pavilion
or the Khedive's Mansion.
The palace stands on a hiltop within a large
grove of some above the
Çubuklu
Çubuklu is a neighbourhood in Beykoz district on the Anatolian side of the Bosphorus in İstanbul, Turkey. It was called Katangion (Κατάγγιον in Greek) in Byzantine times when it was a recreational area.
During the Ottoman era, some s ...
neighborhood in the
Beykoz
Beykoz (), also known as Beicos and Beikos, is a district in Istanbul, Turkey at the northern end of the Bosphorus on the Anatolian side. The name is believed to be a combination of the words bey and ''kos'', which means "village" in Farsi. Beyk ...
district, overlooking the
Istanbul Strait
The Bosporus Strait (; grc, Βόσπορος ; tr, İstanbul Boğazı 'Istanbul strait', colloquially ''Boğaz'') or Bosphorus Strait is a natural strait and an internationally significant waterway located in Istanbul in northwestern Tu ...
.
Completed in 1907, the three-storey palace was designed in
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau (; ) is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. The style is known by different names in different languages: in German, in Italian, in Catalan, and also known as the Modern ...
style, taking its inspiration from Italian
villa
A villa is a type of house that was originally an ancient Roman upper class country house. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the fall of the Roman Republic, villas became s ...
s of the
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...
. However, it also incorporated elements of neo-classical
Ottoman architecture
Ottoman architecture is the architectural style that developed under the Ottoman Empire. It first emerged in northwestern Anatolia in the late 13th century and developed from earlier Seljuk architecture, Seljuk Turkish architecture, with influen ...
.
I The east side is square, while the south and northwest sides feature crescent-shaped porticoes.
The high, square tower is a unique feature visible from the opposite shore of the Bosphorus.
Several ground-floor rooms encircle a central hall, with one large hall featuring a fine fireplace. There are two bedrooms on the upper floor. Many of the walls, ceilings and marble capitals are carved with fruit, flowers and hunting animals
[ ] reflecting European tastes.
Stained glass
Stained glass is coloured glass as a material or works created from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant religious buildings. Although tradition ...
is featured throughout.
A monumental fountain inside the main entrance rises all the way to the roof. The rooftop terrace is accessible via a historic steam-operated elevator.
The gate is decorated with gilded flowers.
There are other fine fountains and pools in the grounds. The rose garden is one of the largest in Istanbul.
A copy of the palace was built on the shore of the
Nile
The Nile, , Bohairic , lg, Kiira , Nobiin language, Nobiin: Áman Dawū is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. It flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is the longest river in Africa and has historically been considered ...
in Egypt.
History
Abbas II (reigned 1892–1914) was the last
Khedive
Khedive (, ota, خدیو, hıdiv; ar, خديوي, khudaywī) was an honorific title of Persian origin used for the sultans and grand viziers of the Ottoman Empire, but most famously for the viceroy of Egypt from 1805 to 1914.Adam Mestyan"Kh ...
of
Egypt and Sudan. Unlike his predecessors, Abbas II sought cooperative relations with the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
, whose sovereignty over the
Khedivate
The Khedivate of Egypt ( or , ; ota, خدیویت مصر ') was an autonomous Vassal and tributary states of the Ottoman Empire, tributary state of the Ottoman Empire, established and ruled by the Muhammad Ali Dynasty following the defeat and e ...
(which continued to be an autonomous vassal of the Ottoman Empire until 1914) had effectively been rendered nominal ever since
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and activist. Nicknamed "The Greatest", he is regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century, a ...
's seizure of power in 1805. Abbas saw this as a potential means of undermining the
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
occupation
Occupation commonly refers to:
*Occupation (human activity), or job, one's role in society, often a regular activity performed for payment
*Occupation (protest), political demonstration by holding public or symbolic spaces
*Military occupation, th ...
(since 1882) of Egypt and Sudan. As part of his efforts to improve relations with the
Ottoman Porte
The Sublime Porte, also known as the Ottoman Porte or High Porte ( ota, باب عالی, Bāb-ı Ālī or ''Babıali'', from ar, باب, bāb, gate and , , ), was a synecdoche for the central government of the Ottoman Empire.
History
The nam ...
, Abbas made several visits to the Ottoman capital
Istanbul
Istanbul ( , ; tr, İstanbul ), formerly known as Constantinople ( grc-gre, Κωνσταντινούπολις; la, Constantinopolis), is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, serving as the country's economic, ...
, and commissioned a Slovenian architect
Antonio Lasciac
Antonio Lasciac (Italian) or Anton Laščak ( Slovene) (21 September 1856 – 26 December 1946) was an architect, engineer, poet and musician of Slovene descent, who designed the Khedive's Palace in Istanbul and the Tahra Palace in Cairo.
Life ...
(1856–1946) to work with the Italian architect Delfo Seminati to build a summer residence for him on the
Bosphorus
The Bosporus Strait (; grc, Βόσπορος ; tr, İstanbul Boğazı 'Istanbul strait', colloquially ''Boğaz'') or Bosphorus Strait is a natural strait and an internationally significant waterway located in Istanbul in northwestern Tu ...
.
In her memoir "''Harem"'', Abbas' unofficial and secret
Hungarian second wife,
Cavidan Hanım (Lady Djavidan, born
May Countess Torok von Szendro), described how she oversaw the palace's development right through to the interior design. She also designed the layout of the gardens, including the planting of the trees, the rose garden and the winding paths through the woods.
Modern use
At the behest of
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, or Mustafa Kemal Pasha until 1921, and Ghazi Mustafa Kemal from 1921 Surname Law (Turkey), until 1934 ( 1881 – 10 November 1938) was a Turkish Mareşal (Turkey), field marshal, Turkish National Movement, re ...
, the founder and first President of Turkey, the City of Istanbul purchased the palace in 1937.
However, by the 1980s it had fallen into neglect.
In 1979 the
Touring and Automobile Club of Turkey
The Touring and Automobile Club of Turkey ( tr, Türkiye Turing ve Otomobil Kurumu) (TTOK), also known as Turkish Automobile Association, is an amateur and international organization dedicated to tourism and the automobile sector. It was founded ...
(TTOK) signed an agreement with the Istanbul Municipality to restore and manage some of the city's Ottoman parks and historic sites for tourism.
Under the guidance of TTOK's director general
Çelik Gülersoy Çelik Gülersoy (September 23, 1930 in Hakkâri – July 6, 2003 in Istanbul) was a Turkish lawyer, historical preservationist, writer and poet. He is best remembered for the heritage conservation works he carried out on historical sites during hi ...
, the palace was restored over the next two years. It opened to the public in 1984.
The premises were managed by the TTOK for ten years with the inner halls used as a restaurant, the upper levels as a hotel, and the marble hall and surrounding gardens as a café.
However, in 1994 the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality took over the running of the establishment from the TTOK.
The hotel facility is now closed.
The building has the capacity to host meetings of up to 1000 people in summer, with cocktail facilities for up to 1500. In winter, it can accommodate up to 450 people and cocktails for 700.
The grounds of the Palace serve as a venue for the annual Istanbul Tulip Festival in April.
See also
*
Küçüksu Pavilion
Küçüksu Pavilion ( tr, Küçüksu Kasrı), Littlewater Pavilion a.k.a. Göksu (Skywater) Pavilion, is a summer pavilion in Istanbul, Turkey, situated in the Küçüksu neighborhood of Beykoz district on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus between ...
References
Sources
*
{{Imperial palaces in Turkey
Houses completed in 1907
Ottoman palaces in Istanbul
Art Nouveau architecture in Istanbul
1984 establishments in Turkey
Restaurants in Istanbul
Bosphorus
Redevelopment projects in Istanbul
Art Nouveau houses
Antonio Lasciac buildings