Erdoğan opens Yıldız Palace to public after six-year renovation works

ISTANBUL

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan officially reopened Yıldız Palace, a historic Ottoman complex of pavilions and villas, to the public on July 19 following a comprehensive six-year restoration works.

"I wish our Yıldız Palace, which we have restored to its former splendor and beauty and put at the disposal of our nation, to be auspicious and prosperous," Erdoğan said during the ceremony held in Istanbul's Beşiktaş district.

The palace was originally constructed during the reign of Selim III (1789-1807) and expanded into a state palace by Abdulhamid II (1876-1909).

"Especially the understanding of rejected heritage, which marked a period of our history, made us pay a heavy price. This place was neglected for years," Erdoğan said. "Many objects that left a mark on the history and memory of our nation suffered from this neglect."

Yıldız Palace will now showcase several structures, including mansions and pavilions, which will be accessible to the public for the first time.

The palace garden, known for its diverse plant life, natural waterways and landscape design, will also be open to visitors.

Significant artifacts related to Abdulhamid II, including his library and carpentry shop, as well as photographs, will be displayed to the public.

The library contains thousands of rare works on subjects ranging from military science to philosophy, espionage novels, astronomy, botany and zoology.

The palace, which also saw use during the reign of the last Ottoman sultan Mehmed VI, closed its doors entirely after the abolition of the sultanate in 1922.

From 1946 onwards, it served as a military academy for many years and later came under the Culture Ministry in 1978. It was transferred to the presidency's National Palaces directorate in 2018, when the restoration began.

The palace was a complex over a large area of hills and valleys. This was an example of traditional Ottoman architecture consisting of a complex of different buildings across a piece of land.