Historic Sancak Pavilion reopens as art venue

ISTANBUL

Following meticulous restoration efforts, the historic Sancak Pavilion has been unveiled during an opening ceremony held at the Yıldız Technical University (YTÜ) Davutpaşa campus in Istanbul.

The grand pavilion, now resplendent in its revived glory, is poised to become a vibrant hub for artistic activities.

The calligraphy works of Professor Dr. Faruk Taşkale and his students were exhibited at the opening ceremony, attended by Istanbul Deputy Governor Dr. Hasan Hüseyin Can, Esenler District Governor Süleyman Özçakıcı and YTÜ Rector Professor Dr. Tamer Yılmaz.

Speaking about the restoration, which started in 2021, Yılmaz stated that graduates from the university’s architecture and cultural heritage departments carried out the works.

"Our graduates worked hard to weave this place together and made it what it is. If you want to see success, if you like aesthetics and art, look around you carefully. We are a technical university, but YTÜ cannot remain without art, we are lucky for that," he said.

Originally built during the Ottoman period, the pavilion was used as a site where the sultan bid farewell to the Ottoman army heading to war, and the "Sancak-ı Şerif," the battle standard of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad which was welcomed by the sultan when returning from expeditions, was also preserved in the building at the time.