A hidden gem

 On the northern shore of the Golden Horn in Istanbul there is a hidden gem, set in a park with rare magnolia and pine trees. Dating back some three hundred years, it was once a huge royal summer palace with balconies overhanging the water. Now there is just one pavilion left, which is still undergoing restoration. This is the Aynalikavak Kasri, the Pavilion of the Mirrored Poplars.

The dome over the main reception room indicates that it was used for official meetings. Step inside to discover an opulent and distinctly oriental magnificence. The overall effect is stunning and closer examination shows how much time and attention was lavished on the details, as in the wall panels and window decoration.

                      

At the end of the Eighteenth century, Sultan Selim III liked to stay here. One room is called the Composition Room as he is thought to have worked on his music here.

He was a talented composer and in tribute to his contribution to Turkish music, this palace is now the State Music Museum, with a display of ancient instruments on the lower floor. There are occasionally open air concerts held here.

North of the Golden Horn

THE GALATA TOWER  was originally built in 1348 by the Genoese merchants who lived in the area north of the Golden Horn. From the top floor of the Tower there is a magnificent panorama of the whole city. Today you can enjoy this view while eating in the splendid restaurant there. For those Genoese merchants of old it was a look-out post and a way to know when their ships were arriving with the merchandise that made them wealthy.

Here is the view from the top of the Galata Tower. What a splendid vantage point.         

      

This part of Constantinople was outside the city, across the wide arm of water called the Golden Horn and was the designated place of residence for foreigners. The Greeks originally called this place "Pera", meaning the Fig Field. Then, when the Venetians became the majority group, the name Galata was added, and both names are still in use.
Traditionally, all foreign embassies were set up in Galata and all foreign visitors would expect to stay in this part of the city. Little by little wealthy Turks also moved northwards and the sultans and many members of the royal family established hunting lodges and palaces along the shores of the Bosphorus.



Here is Hatice Sultan's palace, designed in about 1800 by Antoine Ignace Melling, an Austrian artist. Hatice Sultan was the sister of Sultan Selim III.