Ihlamur Kasrı
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The Elegant Venue Where History Meets Nature: Linden Pavilion
About Venue
The Ihlamur Valley, located between Beşiktaş, Yıldız, and Nişantaşı slopes, was a recreational area shaded by linden and plane trees, through which the Fulya stream flowed, from the 18th century until the early 20th century, as understood from historical sources.
Today, the first part of the valley, where the pavilions are located, was a vineyard belonging to Hacı Hüseyin Ağa, one of the shipyard officials during the reign of Sultan III. Ahmed (1703-1730), and it was transformed into a royal garden by being incorporated into the state treasury. In the second part, which rises towards Yıldız, it is understood from some surviving milestone stones that shooting competitions were held with archers during the reigns of Sultan III. Selim (1789-1807) and Sultan II. Mahmud (1808-1839). The distances, degrees, and dates of the shots made by the sultans at water-filled jugs are inscribed on these milestone stones. During the reign of Sultan Abdülmecid (1839-1861), the third part of the valley, called the "Muhabbet Bahçesi" (Garden of Affection), was added, and afforestation and terraced landscaping works were carried out.
The French poet Lamartine described Ihlamur and its surroundings, where he was hosted as a guest of the Sultan in 1846, as follows:
“…In the garden opposite the building, there were beautiful fruit trees and the large linden trees that gave the valley its name. In front of the three-step staircase leading to the mansion, a small fountain, unable to reach the jasmine branches, poured into the marble pool with a sweet trickle. The linden is the Sultan's favorite mansion; he rests and contemplates here.”
In place of the modest vineyard mansion mentioned by Lamartine, Sultan Abdülmecid had two pavilions built between 1849 and 1855 and named them “Nüzhetiye,” which means “freshness, vitality, joy, happiness.”
During the reign of Sultan Abdülaziz (1861-1876), various entertainments and wrestling competitions were occasionally held in the royal garden. In the following years, Ihlamur Pavilions continued to be a stop for the Sultan and his family’s outings, and after the proclamation of the Republic, they were handed over to the Istanbul Municipality by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey in 1951 and organized as the “Tanzimat Museum.”