The Khedive's Palace (, "Khedive Palace"), also known as Çubuklu Palace (''Çubuklu Sarayı''), is located on the Asian side of the

Bosphorus The Bosporus or Bosphorus Strait ( ; , colloquially ) is a natural strait and an internationally significant waterway located in Istanbul, Turkey. The Bosporus connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara and forms one of the continental bo ...

Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

, and was once the residence of

Khedive Khedive ( ; ; ) was an honorific title of Classical Persian origin used for the sultans and grand viziers of the Ottoman Empire, but most famously for the Khedive of Egypt, viceroy of Egypt from 1805 to 1914.Adam Mestyan"Khedive" ''Encyclopaedi ...

Abbas II of Egypt and Sudan. In English 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 the municipality and district of Beykoz, Istanbul Province, Turkey. Its population is 20,698 (2022). It is on the Anatolian side of the Bosphorus. It was called Katangion (Κατάγγιον in Greek language, Greek ...

neighborhood in the

Beykoz Beykoz () is a municipality and Districts of Turkey, district of Istanbul Province, Istanbul Province, Turkey. Its area is 310 km2, and its population is 247,875 (2022). It lies at the northern end of the Bosphorus on the Anatolian side. The name i ...

district, overlooking the

Istanbul Strait The Bosporus or Bosphorus Strait ( ; , colloquially ) is a natural strait and an internationally significant waterway located in Istanbul, Turkey. The Bosporus connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara and forms one of the continental bo ...

. Completed in 1907, the three-storey palace was designed in

Art Nouveau Art Nouveau ( ; ; ), Jugendstil and Sezessionstil in German, is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. It was often inspired by natural forms such as the sinuous curves of plants and ...

style, taking its inspiration from Italian

villa A villa is a type of house that was originally an ancient Roman upper class country house that provided an escape from urban life. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the f ...

s of the

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...

. However, it also incorporated elements of neo-classical

Ottoman architecture Ottoman architecture is an architectural style or tradition that developed under the Ottoman Empire over a long period, undergoing some significant changes during its history. It first emerged in northwestern Anatolia in the late 13th century an ...

. 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 refers to coloured glass as a material or art and architectural works created from it. Although it is traditionally made in flat panels and used as windows, the creations of modern stained glass artists also include three-dimensio ...

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 (also known as the Nile River or River Nile) is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. It flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is the longest river in Africa. It has historically been considered the List of river sy ...

in Egypt.

History

Abbas II (reigned 1892–1914) was the last

of Egypt and Sudan. Unlike his predecessors, Abbas II sought cooperative relations with the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

, whose sovereignty over the

Khedivate The Khedivate of Egypt ( or , ; ') 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 expulsion of Napoleon, Nap ...

(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 social activist. A global cultural icon, widely known by the nickname "The Greatest", he is often regarded as the gr ...

'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. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

occupation (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 ( or ''Babıali''; ), was a synecdoche or metaphor used to refer collectively to the central government of the Ottoman Empire in Istanbul. It is particularly referred to the buildin ...

, Abbas made several visits to the Ottoman capital

, and commissioned a Slovenian architect Antonio Lasciac (1856–1946) to work with the Italian architect Delfo Seminati to build a summer residence for him on the

. In her memoir "''Harem"'', Abbas' unofficial and secret Hungarian second wife, Javidan 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 ( 1881 – 10 November 1938) was a Turkish field marshal and revolutionary statesman who was the founding father of the Republic of Turkey, serving as its first President of Turkey, president from 1923 until Death an ...

, 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 (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, 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.

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

History

Modern use

See also

References

Sources