Istanbul’s historic Gülhane Park boasts diverse tree inventory

ISTANBUL

Istanbul’s Gülhane Park has completed a comprehensive inventory of its trees, revealing a diverse collection of over 1,100 trees spanning 24 different species.

The 163-acre green space, a historical park in the heart of Istanbul, is home to species including sycamore, hackberry, acacia, magnolia, cedar, cypress, chestnut, laurel and yew.

At the top of the park’s tree population are 419 plane trees, separated into two types: “Eastern plane” and “London plane.” The next most common species is the hedge tree, with 101 trees spread across the park.

However, one of the park’s most notable features is a single walnut tree that stands as a living symbol of Turkish literature and history. Nearly a century old, this walnut tree was immortalized in the poem “The Walnut Tree” by famed Turkish poet Nazım Hikmet, who wrote it during a time of political tension.

Hikmet, a prominent figure often associated with left ideology, penned the poem after his release from a 12-year prison sentence. During a brief period of freedom in 1957, while exiled in Balchik, Bulgaria, Hikmet dedicated this work to Münevver Andaç, his lover and the mother of his child.

The poem, later set to music by composer Cem Karaca, has become an emblematic piece of Turkish poetry and folklore, capturing the essence of the walnut tree as a resilient witness to history.

This walnut tree along with four others in the park aged between 10 and 40 years, has withstood the passage of time.

The diverse array of trees at Gülhane Park includes 101 hackberry trees, 67 acacia trees, 50 Laz cherry trees, 35 lindens, 69 horse chestnuts and seven sophora trees. Magnolia trees account for 11 of the total, while palms make up three.

Additionally, there are 21 maple trees, 10 ash trees, 14 laurels, a single mastic tree, along with five walnut trees and five red pines, among others.