Küçüksu Pavilion

On the Asian shore of the Bosphorus, between the fortress of Anadoluhisarı and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, the Küçüksu Pavilion sits right at the water's edge like a jewel box. It is one of the smallest imperial residences in Istanbul, but its carved façades, waterfront terrace and elegant interiors make it one of the most charming. The pavilion is managed by the Directorate of National Palaces and makes a delightful stop on a Bosphorus tour of the Asian side.

History

The meadows where the Küçüksu and Göksu streams flow into the Bosphorus were a favourite place for outings in Ottoman Istanbul, known to European travellers as the Sweet Waters of Asia. In 1751–1752, Divitdâr Mehmed Emin Pasha, grand vizier of Sultan Mahmud I, built a wooden hunting lodge here. Sultan Selim III later renovated it and in 1806 commissioned the fountain dedicated to his mother, Mihrişah Valide Sultan, which still stands nearby.

Sultan Abdülmecid had the old wooden lodge demolished and replaced it with the present stone pavilion, built in 1856–1857 by the court architects of the Balyan family, Garabet Amira Balyan and his son Nigoğos Balyan. Under Sultan Abdülaziz the façades were given even richer ornament. The sultans used Küçüksu not as a permanent residence but for short stays during excursions and hunting trips. After restoration, it was opened to visitors as a museum-palace.

What to See

The pavilion has two main floors and a basement, with the same plan repeated on each floor: a central hall with rooms at each corner. The interiors are furnished in the European taste of the mid-19th century, with Italian marble fireplaces, Bohemian crystal chandeliers, and carpets and textiles from the imperial workshops at Hereke. The interior decoration was entrusted to the European decorator Charles Séchan.

• The sea façade: rich Neo-Baroque carving and curved marble staircases.
• Marble fireplaces: a different design in every room.
• Crystal chandeliers and Hereke carpets: the refined taste of the Tanzimat era.
• The cast-iron railings: an open garden fence instead of high walls, unusual for a palace.
• Fountain of Mihrişah Valide Sultan: an Ottoman Baroque fountain from 1806 near the pavilion.

Visitor Tips

The pavilion is open Tuesday to Sunday; the ticket office opens at 09:00 and closes at 17:00, and the museum is closed on Mondays. Because the building is small, a visit takes about 45 minutes to an hour, which is easy to combine with other sites on the Asian shore. The best view of the façade is from the water, so Küçüksu is perfect to pair with a Bosphorus cruise. On a private Istanbul tour you can combine it with Beylerbeyi Palace, the Anadoluhisarı fortress, Kandilli and the hilltop Çamlıca Mosque for a full day on the Asian side of the city.