Çırağan Palace, İstanbul

There are some buildings, even if you look from the outside tell something. One of them is Çırağan, the legendary palace of the Ottoman Empire. This palace, which is the first eye pain of the Ottoman sultans who admire the European life among the Ottoman palaces, has a magnificent and sad story. The real name comes from the "çarağan" which means "lamp, light" in Persian. Although the Ottoman Empire witnessed the last period, the story actually dates back to the 17th century.

In the second half of the 16th century, there was a wooden chapel of Ottoman Captain Kılıç Ali Pasha at the place of today's Çırağan Palace. In the 17th century, flower gardens were established in this region and it is mentioned as "Kazancıoğlu Bahçeleri". Ibrahim Pasha, the grand vizier of the Tulip Revolution, Ahmed's brother, Fatma Sultan's wife, is made of wood. III. The most resplendent entertainments of Ahmed also take place in this palace which has spectacular gardens and scenery. Particularly at night, the lights and lamps illuminated by the lamps, and the adornments with flowers, make this place called "Çarağan".

II. In 1835, Mahmud destroyed the buildings beside the plain. Instead, the famous architects of the time, Garabet Balyan'a reflect the innovation and change, a synthesis of Western and Ottoman architecture is made of a magnificent palace. The life of this work ends with Sultan Abdulmecid's official residence in 1855, which he considers the Dolmabahçe Palace. In 1857 Sultan Abdülmecid destroyed the Old Cirali Palace and replaced it with a new palace building in Western style, but died without seeing its completion. Sultan Abdülaziz passes instead, the building of the palace changes completely. The new palace inspired by Eastern architecture and suitable for North African Islamic architecture is completed in 1871.

Gates under the Som

Each accessory of this palace, which is a gleaming, dazzling beauty, is specially constructed. In fact, the German Emperor Kaiser Wilhelm tells him that he likes palace gates made of solid gold from a journey, and some of the gates are presented to him. Today it is also mentioned that these doors are exhibited in the Berlin Museum.

Sultan Abdul Aziz does not stay in Çirağ for too long. In 1876 it is reduced from the throne to V. Murad. V. Murad is a sultan who is educated in the Western style and has a musical talent. He plays the piano and composes in the style of both Western and Ottoman music. V. Murad, alleged to have lost his mental balance, is reduced from the throne and almost lives in prison until 1904 in the harem section of Çırağan, now known as Beşiktaş High School.

Becomes Big Ashes

II. With Abdulhamit's throne, the Çırağan Palace, like the Ottoman Empire, begins to lose its former glory. Even though the old moving and glorious days are left behind, the Çırağan Palace has become a place where the Sultan has spent the last days of the sultans who were removed from the saltan penthouses.

In 1909, it started to be used as a parliament building. However, on January 19, 1910, only the outer walls remained behind the burning sarcophagus within five hours of the fire that started with the roof of the flames coming out of the radiator pit. During the fire, the invaluable antiques in the palace, oil paintings and many valuable books and documents become ashes. So the silence that will last for years begins at the Çırağan Palace.

Saraydan 5 Star Hotele

The building was used by a French shepherd during the siege of Istanbul under the name "Bizo Kışlası". In the 1930s, the beautiful garden became the football pitch of Besiktas Club. Several attempts are made at different times to make the Çırağan Palace available again, but none will succeed.

When it comes to 1986, the adventure of transforming the Çırağan Palace into a 5-star hotel begins. The only 5-star hotel on the Bosphorus, built in 1990, in the name of "Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul", right next to the old palace and in accordance with its architecture, opens. After two years of restoration work, the old palace department reopens its doors.

Of course there is a longer story than the one we talked about here. Throughout his history, he married columns, porticos and his haughty stance, saying "I am different" every time from the Bosphorus. Today, the Çırağan Palace, which leaves behind its sad stories, embraces its guests with all its glory.

Unknowns About Çırağan Palace

• The Çırağan Palace, which is composed of only the hotel and the palace today, houses a palace complex that was about 2 km long. It is a complex between Beşiktaş and Ortaköy, with haremi, selamlığı, outbuildings, separate sections for its employees and employees.

• Construction of the new palace built on 20 January 1863 will be completed in 9 years. Treasure-i Hassa for the palace is 2 and a half million pounds spent. Columns used in the palace are brought from North Africa.

• Today some of the lion sculptures in Dolmabahçe Palace actually belonged to Çırağan Palace. In 1855, the Sultan Abdülmecid lions who passed through Dolmabahçe Palace took him to Dolmabahçe Palace.

• Munevver Ayaşlı from the last Ottoman women, in the Dersaadet book, the cause of the sad events in the history of Çırağan Palace, Sultan II. Besiktas Mevlevi Dervish lodge near to the palace complex and Mahmud's palace building is connected to the palace complex and the sultan's tombs are taken to the custody of the court: "The palace, which has destroyed the Mevlevi dervish lodge and conquered the tombs of the saints, , and finally, the huge building caught up, and the graves at the bottom were brought to the fresh air and daylight. "

• Sultan Abdülaziz lives as an exile in the Feriye (second) part of Çırağan after he has been put to death and dies here. Though it was decided that Abdulaziz died on May 30, 1876, he had succumbed to the abdication of Abdulaziz, but common blood had been killed.