Adile Sultan Palace
Encyclopedia
Adile Sultan Palace is a former royal residence, which was used later as a school building, and is a cultural centre today located in Kandilli neighbourhood of Istanbul
, Turkey
.
princess Adile Sultan
(1825-1898), the daughter of Sultan Mahmud II
(1785-1839) and the sister of the Sultans Abdülmecid I
(1823-1861) and Abdülaziz
(1830-1876), by the legendary Ottoman Armenian
architect Sarkis Balyan. It was erected on the same place of a kiosk
, which was presented to her by Sultan Abdülmecid in 1856. The palace was commissioned by Sultan Abdülaziz and built by the renowned court architect Sarkis Balyan in 1861. It stands at one of the most glorious places, on a hill, which is a headland
in the middle of Bosphorus on the Asia
n shore. This location enables a wonderful panoramic view of Bosphorus reaching from Sea of Marmara
to Black Sea
seen out of all the rooms in three sides of the building. The palace with 55 rooms was on a ground of 17,000 m².
Adile Sultan, a great and the only Turkish
royal female poet
having a Diwan, lived here until the death of her husband Mehmet Ali Pasha in 1868. She donated her residence to the state to be used as a high school for girls after her death in 1898. Before it was used as determined, the palace came a short while under the control of Ministry of War during World War I
. Only in 1916, it could be turned to a secondary school for girls and the first graduates left the school in 1920. The school was named 1924 after its location, Kandilli Secondary School. In 1931, the school became Kandilli High School for Girls, a respected educational institution since then. The classes of the high school moved to a new building in 1969. The old palace was used as dormitory
for boarding
girls of the school until 1986, when it was burnt down due to an electrical short-circuit. The historic building became a ruin consisting of only four walls.
Some alumni of Kandilli High School established soon a foundation, and raised funds to rebuild the palace. However, the cost of the restoration exceeded their extent. With the huge financial support of the late billionaire businessman and philanthropist
Sakıp Sabancı
and the Governor of Istanbul Muammer Güler
, the restoration work could continue. The lacking funds to accomplish the long-lasting and painstaking restoration works were donated again by Sakıp Sabancı in his sickbed three days before his death in 2004. Adile Sultan Palace was rebuilt in ten years at a cost of 9.5 million YTL, and it revived after twenty years by reopening with a ceremony, which took place on June 28, 2006.
The building is named "Sakıp Sabancı Kandilli Education and Culture Center". The palace covers an area of 5,625 m², which accommodates an oval hall for meeting and banqueting of 500 people, another two meeting halls for 200 people each, a 1,300 m² hall for cocktails and exhibitions, 20 seminar rooms with 30-40 seats, a museum, a dining hall for 150 people and a cafeteria for 60 people. The palace garden offers place for 2,000 people.
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
.
History
The palace was built for the OttomanOttoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
princess Adile Sultan
Adile Sultan
HIH Princess Adile Sultana , daughter of Sultan Mahmud II and sister of the Sultans Abdulmecid I and Abdulaziz, was an Ottoman princess, a renowned female Diwan poet and a philanthropist....
(1825-1898), the daughter of Sultan Mahmud II
Mahmud II
Mahmud II was the 30th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1808 until his death in 1839. He was born in the Topkapi Palace, Istanbul, the son of Sultan Abdulhamid I...
(1785-1839) and the sister of the Sultans Abdülmecid I
Abdülmecid I
Sultan Abdülmecid I, Abdul Mejid I, Abd-ul-Mejid I or Abd Al-Majid I Ghazi was the 31st Sultan of the Ottoman Empire and succeeded his father Mahmud II on July 2, 1839. His reign was notable for the rise of nationalist movements within the empire's territories...
(1823-1861) and Abdülaziz
Abdülâziz
Abdülaziz I or Abd Al-Aziz, His Imperial Majesty was the 32nd Sultan of the Ottoman Empire and reigned between 25 June 1861 and 30 May 1876...
(1830-1876), by the legendary Ottoman Armenian
Armenians in the Ottoman Empire
Armenians in the Ottoman Empire or Ottoman Armenians were ethnic Armenian people of the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Armenian Catholic Church or the Armenian Protestant Church who lived in the Ottoman Empire...
architect Sarkis Balyan. It was erected on the same place of a kiosk
Kiosk
Kiosk is a small, separated garden pavilion open on some or all sides. Kiosks were common in Persia, India, Pakistan, and in the Ottoman Empire from the 13th century onward...
, which was presented to her by Sultan Abdülmecid in 1856. The palace was commissioned by Sultan Abdülaziz and built by the renowned court architect Sarkis Balyan in 1861. It stands at one of the most glorious places, on a hill, which is a headland
Headlands and bays
Headlands and bays are two related features of the coastal environment.- Geology and geography :Headlands and bays are often found on the same coastline. A bay is surrounded by land on three sides, whereas a headland is surrounded by water on three sides. Headlands are characterized by high,...
in the middle of Bosphorus on the Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
n shore. This location enables a wonderful panoramic view of Bosphorus reaching from Sea of Marmara
Sea of Marmara
The Sea of Marmara , also known as the Sea of Marmora or the Marmara Sea, and in the context of classical antiquity as the Propontis , is the inland sea that connects the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea, thus separating Turkey's Asian and European parts. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Black...
to Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
seen out of all the rooms in three sides of the building. The palace with 55 rooms was on a ground of 17,000 m².
Adile Sultan, a great and the only Turkish
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
royal female poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
having a Diwan, lived here until the death of her husband Mehmet Ali Pasha in 1868. She donated her residence to the state to be used as a high school for girls after her death in 1898. Before it was used as determined, the palace came a short while under the control of Ministry of War during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Only in 1916, it could be turned to a secondary school for girls and the first graduates left the school in 1920. The school was named 1924 after its location, Kandilli Secondary School. In 1931, the school became Kandilli High School for Girls, a respected educational institution since then. The classes of the high school moved to a new building in 1969. The old palace was used as dormitory
Dormitory
A dormitory, often shortened to dorm, in the United States is a residence hall consisting of sleeping quarters or entire buildings primarily providing sleeping and residential quarters for large numbers of people, often boarding school, college or university students...
for boarding
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
girls of the school until 1986, when it was burnt down due to an electrical short-circuit. The historic building became a ruin consisting of only four walls.
Some alumni of Kandilli High School established soon a foundation, and raised funds to rebuild the palace. However, the cost of the restoration exceeded their extent. With the huge financial support of the late billionaire businessman and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
Sakıp Sabancı
Sakip Sabanci
Sakıp Sabancı was a prominent Turkish business tycoon and philanthropist.Born as the second son of a cotton trader, he worked in all the ranks of his father's business without completing high school. He was the head of Turkey's largest business conglomerate and 147th richest man on the Forbes list...
and the Governor of Istanbul Muammer Güler
Muammer Güler
Muammer Güler is a Turkish civil servant and was previously the governor of Istanbul Province.-Biography:Güler was born in Mardin, Turkey. He completed his primary education in Ankara and graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Ankara in 1972. Güler began his career as candidate...
, the restoration work could continue. The lacking funds to accomplish the long-lasting and painstaking restoration works were donated again by Sakıp Sabancı in his sickbed three days before his death in 2004. Adile Sultan Palace was rebuilt in ten years at a cost of 9.5 million YTL, and it revived after twenty years by reopening with a ceremony, which took place on June 28, 2006.
The building is named "Sakıp Sabancı Kandilli Education and Culture Center". The palace covers an area of 5,625 m², which accommodates an oval hall for meeting and banqueting of 500 people, another two meeting halls for 200 people each, a 1,300 m² hall for cocktails and exhibitions, 20 seminar rooms with 30-40 seats, a museum, a dining hall for 150 people and a cafeteria for 60 people. The palace garden offers place for 2,000 people.