Beykoz Mecidiye Pavilion is a building that is the pearl of Istanbul with its historical and architectural beauties. This pavilion reflects the magnificence of the Ottoman period. Walks in the garden of the pavilion, accompanied by the magnificent view of the Bosphorus, offer a pleasant experience. For those who want to travel into history, the Beykoz Mecidiye Pavilion is an important destination worth seeing.

Historic Events in Beykoz Mecidiye Pavilion

Beykoz Mecidiye Pavilion is an important building that witnessed important historical events of the Ottoman Empire. Although the pavilion was built as a gift during the reign of Sultan Abdulmecid, it did not attract much attention from the Sultan due to historical events such as the Egyptian Issue.

During the Crimean War, which took place between 1853 and 1856, elite soldiers, especially zeybeks, coming from Izmir and Aydin, gathered in Beykoz Meadow before being put on ships from Hunkar Pier. During this process, leading efes (soldiers) were also hosted at Beykoz Mecidiye Pavilion.

Prince Jerome Napoleon visited Istanbul and Sultan Abdulmecid in the summer of 1854. Later, he resided in Beykoz Mecidiye Pavilion and it became a place where Sultan Abdulaziz paid return visits. Sultan Abdulaziz frequently used the pavilion to rest during the summer months. Here he watched the Bosphorus, organized wrestling matches in Beykoz Meadow and hunted in the hunting preserve in Tokat village.

In 1869, Sultan Abdulaziz hosted the French Empress Eugénie at the Beykoz Mecidiye Pavilion and gave a big banquet. For this special day, the people of Istanbul came to Beykoz by land and sea and watched the magnificent parade. Soldiers lined up on the roads decorated with Turkish and French flags, and a special pavilion was built in the meadow.

In addition, it is known that in the first period of Sultan Resad's reign, he organized a spring feast in the garden of Beykoz Mecidiye Pavilion on May 21, 1910, for the Chairman of the Parliament, Ahmed Riza Bey, and his deputies, members of the Notable Assembly and government officials.

Beykoz Mecidiye Pavilion continues to welcome its visitors as a structure full of important memories that carry the historical texture of the Ottoman Empire to the present.

Architectural Features of Beykoz Mecidiye Pavilion

Beykoz Mecidiye Pavilions perfectly reflect the example of "serdab pavilions," one of the 19th-century practices of the Ottoman architectural tradition. These pavilions, one of the natural beauties of Istanbul, were built using stones imported from Italy and local white marble.

The front facade of the pavilion is designed in neoclassical style and has a two-story and symmetrical layout. In photographs from the reign of Sultan Abdulhamid II, it can be seen that the interior of the pavilion was enriched with gilded furniture, upholstery, and curtains made of Hereke fabrics, Baccarat vases and large crystal candlesticks. The interior is also decorated with very valuable colored porphyry.

According to archive documents, there were rooms for the Sultan's entourage of officers and janitors in Beykoz Mecidiye Pavilions. In addition, there are various service and living units within the complex of the pavilion, such as a kitchen, mountain bath, small pavilion, water tank, conservatory, coop, aviary, and dovecote, but many of them have not remained to the present.

Beykoz Mecidiye Pavilions is an important example of cultural heritage from the last periods of the Ottoman Empire, with both its architectural elegance and interior richness.

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