Küçüksu Pavilion – Istanbul, Turkey

During our Summer trip to Europe we spent some days in Istanbul, Turkey. Among other places, we visited the Küçüksu Pavilion, which is situated in the Küçüksu neighborhood of Beykoz district on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus between Anadoluhisari and the Fatih Sulyan Mehmet Bridge. The pavilion was used by Ottoman sultans for short stays during country excursions and hunting.

The bullet points presented below summarize highlights out of what captured my attention most out of this small but charming palace. Some photos we took while visiting it are included below as well.

• The first construction of the old wooden palace in the imperial garden in Göksu Park began during the reign of Sultan Mahmud I. Afterwards, during the reigns of Sultan Selim Ill and Mahmud II, it was restored.
• The place was demolished during the reign of Sultan Abdulmecid and replaced with the western style pavilion that is present nowadays.
• The Küçüksu Pavilion, commissioned in 1857, was designed by architect Nigogos Balyan. The pavilion consists of a basement and two main storeys built of stone. It shows traditional Turkish house features.
• The garden walls are surrounded by elegant cast-iron bars. The surroundings were mostly used for recreational purposes and hunting. The interior ornamentation and decoration of the palace is made by French Sechan.
• The Küçüksu Pavilion is reflecting the features of a unique century art museum with its furniture, décor, ornamentation and parquets.