Ciragan Palace

Ciragan Palace

Çırağan Palace, a luxurious five-star hotel in the Kempinski Hotels chain, is located on the European shore of the Bosporus coastline, between the neighborhoods of Beşiktaş and Ortaköy in Istanbul.

Designed by the Armenian palace architect Nichoği Balyan, Çırağan Palace was built in 1863 by Sultan Abdülaziz. Its inner walls and roof were constructed of wood, while its outer walls were made of colorful marble. A bridge connects the palace to Yıldız Palace, situated on a hill behind it. The palace is surrounded by a high garden wall that offers protection from the outside world.

Ciragan Palace

The palace's construction and interior decoration continued until 1872. However, Sultan Abdulaziz did not reside in his magnificent palace for long, as he committed suicide in 1876 after being dethroned. His successor, Sultan Murad V, briefly lived in the palace before being deposed by his brother Abdul Hamid II due to mental illness and confined to the palace for 93 days.

The building in question, which has undergone a fascinating transformation over the years, was granted permission by Sultan Mehmed V of the Second Constitutional Monarchy to be used as a venue for Ottoman Parliament meetings on November 14, 1909. However, only a few months later, on January 19, 1910, a major fire broke out and destroyed much of the Palace, leaving only its exterior walls intact. For many years, it was known as "Şeref Stadı" and used as a football field by Beşiktaş JK club in its garden.

In 1987, the building was purchased by a Japanese corporation, which then restored the former royal palace while also constructing a modern hotel complex within its garden. The modern hotel was opened to guests in 1990, and the restored palace followed in 1992. Today, the palace serves as luxury suites for the Kempinski Hotel and features two restaurants for guests to enjoy. During the first quarter of 2007, the palace underwent a second renovation to restore its authentic baroque-style appearance with brighter colors.