Yıldız Palace, the last palace of the Ottoman Empire and a witness to events that left a deep mark on history, was opened to visitors with the presence of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Addressing the attendees at the opening ceremony of the Yildiz Palace in Besiktas, where restoration, landscaping and improvement works were completed by the National Palace Presidential Office, President Erdogan said he felt very happy to be able to join the participants on this occasion, saying it was a meaningful and important opening ceremony.
“Today we are gathered at the inauguration of one of the most beautiful historical monuments in beautiful Istanbul. To borrow the words of a poet, loving just one district is worth a lifetime,” Erdogan said.
President Erdogan emphasized that the ancestral heirloom Yıldız Palace has been restored as a result of six years of meticulous restoration and interior work by the National Palace Presidential Office, and said, “From today, Yıldız Palace, the symbol of our city, opens its doors to the people and visitors from all over the world as it regains its former glory and beauty. It is an auspicious occasion,” he said.
President Erdogan said the happiness they are experiencing today is due to the sweat and heart of many teachers and professionals, adding:
“Without their labor, knowledge and dedication, this beautiful work would not have been able to regain its former glory. I begin my words by expressing my gratitude to these brothers. I would especially like to thank the Presidency, the President and his team, and the respected Ministers, for bringing this work, which was damaged, dilapidated and abandoned for years, to our country through six years of dedicated efforts. I would also like to thank all my brothers and sisters who took part in this project. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my respected teacher, Dr. Sadettin Okten, Chairman of the National Palace Scientific Committee, and the members of the committee. I believe that the revival of Istanbul’s Yıldız Palace will further enhance the historical, cultural and tourist appeal of our city.”
Erdogan said the National Palace President shared information about the historical palace of Yıldız Palace, saying, “We all heard about the rise and fall of this palace, which is a rare piece in terms of its architectural, artistic and historical characteristics. First of all, it must be emphasized that this place is by no means an ordinary piece of work. ” “With its 200-year history, Yıldız Palace has itself witnessed the most tragic period of the Ottoman Empire,” he said.
“It also became a symbol of resistance against attempts to destroy DEVLET-I ALIYE.”
President Erdogan said that Yildiz Palace has become synonymous with Sultan Abdulhamid II and shared the following historical information:
“But the history of the palace dates back to the palace built by Sultan Selim III for Mihrişa Valide Sultan in 1805. Only the fountain in the courtyard remains from this palace. Mahmud II also used this place to watch the training of the emperor.” This is what gave the Yıldız Palace its true identity, and shortly after Sultan Abdülhamid ascended to the throne, he started calling the palace and harem Yıldız Palace from Dolmabahçe Palace. Netip Fazl described this palace as perhaps the greatest of the 36 Turkish rulers. “Sultan Abdülhamid II ruled the state from here for 33 years until the coup in 1909. Yıldız Palace witnessed the most controversial 33 years. It also became a symbol of resistance against the Ottoman Empire’s attempts to destroy the supreme state.”
President Erdogan said, “Our country is a country that does not know the value of its precious works very well. Some countries pay great attention to its historical assets that are 100 to 150 years old. We have not been able to protect cultural properties that are 100 to 150 years old, but especially the notion of rejection of heritage that left its mark at a period in history has tormented us. One symbol that suffered from this spirit was the Yıldız Palace. Like many cultural heritage sites, this place has also been neglected and abused for many years, with most of the buildings. Unfortunately, many relics, objects and items that were in the palace were burned, broken or sold at auction. This is one example of the cruelty that this city has suffered. The Yıldız Casino project was implemented by the city authorities at the time only to attract tourist attention. The casino, operated by an Italian company, was closed a year later. Not only the Yıldız Palace, but also many objects that left their mark on the history and memory of our country have suffered part of this ignorance. Everyone remembers the scandal surrounding the yacht “Savalona”, where Gazi Mustafa Kemal spent the last months of his life. After the immorality incident that was published in the newspapers, we acted quickly and took over the Savalona yacht. We restored the Savalona with great care. The restoration will be completed soon. After that, we will start using it the way it should be, to entertain visiting heads of state and government. There were those who criticized even this and made unimaginable claims. But when it comes to words, it was us who took care of the Savalona yacht, which was left to rot by those who did not leave ashes on the barbecue regarding Ataturk. The same applies to many historical artifacts, structures and objects. “Some people hide behind the Republic and are hostile to the Ottoman Empire, but we have embraced all periods of history without discrimination,” he said.
Understanding loyalty to history and respect for the past, President Erdogan said that he has restored ancestral heirlooms in Turkey and abroad, saying, “Through the General Directorate of the Foundation, we have restored and repaired about six buildings.” “Since 2002, the Foundation’s cultural assets reach 1,000 pieces. Through TİKA, we have restored and repaired ancestral heirlooms in the four corners of the geography.” We have carried out more than 120 restoration works at the tip of Istanbul. We have carried out many successful projects and revived many works under the leadership of the National Palace Chairman, from the Beykoz Glass and Crystal Museum to the Ankara Palace Museum, the Topkapi Palace Treasure Collection, the Kaftan Collection, and the Calligraphy Collection. We consider the mosques, bridges, fountains, inns and tombs that we have restored to be milestones on the journey from eternity to eternity and the speaking of living beings. . We evaluate all these renovation works within the framework of strengthening the connection with our roots, which we attach great importance to. We did this by rebuilding Yıldız Palace. We gave people another place of memories. We not only restored the palace’s stones, walls, pavements and furniture to their original form. We also gave this place a place worthy of its original identity. We held dozens of meetings, receptions and summits here during my presidency. We really brought this historic place back to life by doing a lot of work here. “As a result of our nearly six years of work, Yıldız Palace is ready to serve as a great museum that all our country’s citizens can visit with pride and where our country’s young people can personally experience a very important part of our country’s history,” he said.
“You can visit for free until the end of next month.”
Referring to the ongoing restoration work on the Edirne Palace, President Erdogan said, “If possible, we would like to complete it and bring it back to our country. We will continue to protect the heritage of our ancestors. As we move forward, step by step towards the goal of the Turkish century, we will protect the heritage of our ancestors, set our feet firmly on the foundations of a civilization spanning thousands of years, and prepare for the 21st century. “With God’s permission, we will make this century the century. From today, we entrust this beautiful work, the heritage of our ancestors, to our country, especially our beloved young people, and open it to visitors free of charge until the end of next month, including this month. Please charge,” he said.
Culture Minister Ersoy: “Yildiz Palace is a building identified with Sultan Abdulhamid II Khan.”
Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said: “The Head of the National Palace has brought an extremely valuable work to our country in terms of the history of the museum, with the restoration, preservation and landscaping works that were carried out with great care over a long period of time. As a result of the most comprehensive renovation in the history of Yıldız Palace, many buildings will be open to visitors for the first time, especially the Large and Small Mabein Mansions, the Double Pavilion and the Harem Circle. History. Of course, Yıldız Palace is a building identified with Sultan Abdülhamid II. This place was the center of Sultan Abdülhamid II’s 33-year struggle for the state and the people, surrounded by a ring of fire, and with countless acts, works, services and tremendous political achievements, he kept the world state alive. And policy intelligence, and leadership that embodies perseverance, patience and guidance. It is necessary to know and understand this great Sultan well. We must do this with the consciousness of protecting the past and with the effort to repay the enormous debt of loyalty. One can tell a lot about Abdulhamid Khan just by looking at this magnificent complex known as Yıldız Palace. Many buildings were built here during his time, including Little Mabein, Kızlal Aşı, Şaleh Mansion, Yıldız Mosque Theatre, carpentry shop, pharmacy, repair shop, coffee house, tile workshop and library. It seems that the Sultan’s world of mind and thoughts, and his understanding of life, was translated into structures – and of course, it was not limited to them. “To understand him, it is very important to go outside the palace and evaluate his actions under the conditions of his time,” he says.
