Yıldız Palace

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The Yıldız Palace ( Ottoman ييلديز سرايى İA Yıldız Sarāyı ) is a large complex of the former Ottoman pavilions and villas in Istanbul , Turkey . It was built in the 19th and early 20th centuries on the western slopes of the Bosporus . It was in use as the residence of the sultan and his court until the late 19th century.

origin

The Ottoman Sultan Selim III. had a first Köşk built in the area of ​​today's palace in the 18th century, but the first existing buildings were built in the 19th century under Mahmut II . The actual Yıldız Palace ("Star Palace") was built and used in 1880 by Abdülhamid II . The area of ​​the palace was previously woodland. It became government property during the reign of Sultan Ahmed I (1603-1617). Various sultans after Ahmed I enjoyed leisure time at this country estate, and the sultans Abdülmecid I and Abdülaziz built houses there.

In 1865 Garbis Balian built the Yıldız store for Abdülaziz , whose pavilion architecture was based on the destroyed Küçüksu kiosk from the 18th century. The style of the building corresponds to the Beylerbeyi Saray that was created at the same time .

In the late 19th century, Sultan Abdülhamid II left the Dolmabahçe Palace because he feared an attack on the palace from the sea side, as the old palace is located directly on the Bosphorus . He expanded the Yıldız Palace and commissioned the well-known Italian architect Raimondo D'Aronco to build new buildings on the palace area. When he moved there, this new palace became the fourth seat of the Ottoman government.

The previous seats were the Eski Saray (Old Palace) in Edirne , the Topkapı Palace and the Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul.

Building system

The palace is a complex of buildings made up of residences or apartments (Büyük Mabeyn), with the Şale pavilion, the Malta pavilion , the Çadır pavilion, the Yıldız Denater and with the opera house, with the Yıldız palace museum and with the Imperial Palace Porcelain Manufactory. The Yıldız Palace Gardens are also a popular public space for the residents of Istanbul. A bridge connects the Yıldız Palace with the Çırağan Palace over the Bosphorus with a path through this garden.

State apartments

Government officials who worked for Abdülhamid II had their apartments in the palace complex.

Şale kiosk

The Sultan's residence was the Şale kiosk or pavilion. The building has two floors and a ground floor. It is built in a mixture of stone and wood in the manner of Turkish historicism . It was built in three phases: the first part was built in the 1870s and was drawn like a Swiss chalet , hence the name Şale . Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle were among the visitors to this palace. The second section was added in 1889 to accommodate the visit of Kaiser Wilhelm II to the Şale Köşk. The Sedefli Salon (Pearl Salon) was also added at that time. The name is derived from the extensive use of pearls that covered almost all surfaces. There are also detailed landscape paintings under the ceilings. The third construction phase was also built for Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1898. The reception room was also built; it forms the most impressive room in the entire Şale pavilion. There is a carpet in the hallway, which is more than 400 square meters and was made by 60 weavers. Elegant furnishings in the rooms include gilded ceiling decorations and large mirrors. Abdülhamid II was a talented carpenter and made some pieces of furniture for the Şale pavilion himself.

Malta kiosk

Malta kiosk
Salon on the ground floor with swan fountain

The Malta Kiosk is a pavilion in Yıldız Park on the north side of the wall leading to the Yıldız Palace. There are also two observation and resting pavilions in the moat at the back of the garden of the Çırağan Palace from Abdülaziz's reign. The origin of the name is not certain: during the Ottoman era, some palaces were named after major battles and cities and countries conquered; consequently this palace is said to have been named in memory of the siege of Malta.

The Malta kiosk is an example of 19th century secular architecture. The outer facade is yellow and green. The building was built by the Armenian architect Sarkis Balyan and his brothers. During the reign of Abdül Mecid I, the architects were influenced by European examples. Therefore motifs from nature were used; Flowers, fruits and hunted animals abound on the walls. Marble columns, terraces, bedrooms, wooden and crystal halls show features of neo-classical, neo-Islamic and neo-Ottoman characteristics. The arches in S and C shapes come from the Rococo . Palm trees and seashells were added to the corner stones of the arches. The oval windows and the columns with narrow towers at the ends reflect the Baroque style of the 19th century. The vertical and horizontal elements balance the Empire style, the Napoleonic period under the influence of Egyptian and Roman architecture.

The pavilion has four entrances. If you enter from the sea side, you enter a large hall. There are balconies on the second floor with a sea view. In the middle of the hall there is a marble fountain with a swan figure. There large marble vases are placed on corner stones. Four swans and six fish figures are hugging each other. Water jets on the fish tails and swan's heads spray water.

Both sides of the marble stairs have floor-to-ceiling pillars. Immediately by the pillars is a large nozzle adorned with swans bowing their heads into the water. There are also leaves and flower designs engraved in the marble.

In the upper hall there are two small rooms and bedrooms around the large hall.

A large fireplace is in the great hall, surrounded by curvy colorful flower patterns. There are balconies at the front of the hall. The building was used as a hunting palace and recreational country seat; thus hunting animals, flowers, plants and fruit motifs can be found there.

Two rooms in the upper hall are decorated with floral motifs. The main staircase is double and curved. Sultan Abdül Hamid added the pavilion to the Yıldız Palace and used it for recreation and visitors. Like other pavilions in the Yıldız Palace, the Malta Kiosk saw important and historical events.

When the Çırağan uprising, led by Ali Suavi in ​​1878 to depose Sultan Murad V, failed, Sultan Abdül Hamid sent him to this pavilion for security reasons, which essentially amounted to house arrest. The trial for Midhat Pasha took place in a tent behind this pavilion.

After the exile of Sultan Abdül Hamid, the Malta kiosk was not used for more than 40 years. In 1941 the large moat behind the Yıldız Palace was turned into the Yıldız Park, transferred to the Istanbul City Council and opened to the public.

Çadır kiosk

Çadır Kiosk

This palace was built by Sultan Abdülaziz in 1861–76, who used it as a prison. Nowadays it houses a café and a restaurant.

Yıldız, theater and opera house

Built by Sultan Abdülhamid II. In 1889. The palace has stars in its cathedral canopy, a tribute to the name of the Yıldız Palace, which means “Palace of the Stars”. Because no one was allowed to turn their backs on the Sultan in his side box, the first rows of seats were never used.

Yıldız Palace Museum

This part of the palace was originally the carpenter's workshop of Abdülhamid II. Today it is used for art exhibitions.

Imperial porcelain manufactory

Yıldız china factory

It was opened in 1895 to meet the needs of the upper classes for European consumer ceramics. Their bowls, vases and plates often showed scenes on the Bosporus. The building has an interesting appearance reminiscent of a European castle in the Middle Ages.

Current use

After the Ottoman Empire ended, the palace was used as a luxury casino and hotel for state guests. It is now a museum, and its gardens can be rented for private use such as B. for the Istanbul antiques fair in the Silahhane Hall, which usually takes place in November. The Istanbul office of the OIC and the IRCICA are also located in the Yıldız Palace.

On October 18, 2015, a meeting between the German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan took place in the Yıldız Palace .

The palace is located in the Beşiktaş district of Istanbul. It is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. from October to February and between 9:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. from March to September. It is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

literature

  • Vahide Gezgör, Feryal İrez: Yıldız Palace. Şale Kasr-ı Hümâyunu (= TBMM Milli Saraylar Daire Başkanlığı yayını. Vol. 7). TBMM Department of National Palaces, Istanbul 1993, ISBN 975-95334-9-9 .
  • Önder Küçükerman, Nedret Bayraktar, Semra Karakaţli: Yıldız Porcelain in National Palaces Collection. TBMM Department of National Palaces, Istanbul 1998, ISBN 975-7479-37-3 .
  • Marcell Restle: Reclam's art guide Istanbul, Bursa, Edirne, Iznik. Monuments and museums . Verlag Philipp Reclam jun., Stuttgart 1976. P. 341ff.

Web links

Commons : Yıldız Palace  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 41 ° 3 ′ 8.2 ″  N , 29 ° 0 ′ 45.6 ″  E