Mansions of Ex-Ottoman governors to Egypt draw visitors

 

 

Istanbul (Dunya) – On the upper reaches of the Bosphorus on the Asian side of Istanbul, in an emerald forested hilltop area overlooking the villages of Kanlica and Cubuklu stands Hidiv Kasri, the Khedive's Pavilion, a huge palatial mansion with a tower. Located in a tulip and rose garden., lined with outdoor cafes, the building is popular year-round among local and foreign visitors.

 

Constructed by Italian architect Delfo Seminati for Abbas Hilmi Pasha in 1907, the building contains a marbled hall with pink, white and green-colored chandeliers, a conclave hall with granite pillars and a wooden hall with mahogany wall cabinets, and tables and upper story rooms that once served as a hotel.

A two-km long winding road, surrounded by a forest of trees, leads from the mansion to the shoreline. Hidiv Kasri can be reached easily by car or cab from Kanlica, Cubuklu or from Kavacik, on the Asian side of the city.

 

Abbas Hilmi Pasha (1874-1944), the last Ottoman viceroy to Egypt, and his family used the mansion when he was in Istanbul.  It was owned by the pasha's family until it was abandoned in 1937 because of the high cost of its upkeep. 

 

The Municipality of Istanbul eventually took over building and its garden, and in 1984 turned it over to Celik Gulersoy, an expert of restoration, and to his Automobile Touring Club of Turkey, which renovated the pavilion, opened it to the public and ran the property for more than a decade. 

Since 1996, the municipal educational, tourism and health investment company Beltur has been operating the Khedive's Pavilion.

 

Hidiv Kasri is one of several palatial buildings along the Bosphorus constructed by the Khedives and now open to the public with their rose and tulip gardens. While three of the mansions are located in municipal parks, one is now a private arts museum and another serves as the Egyptian Consulate. 

The Khedive was name given to the hereditary Albanian-Ottoman governors of Egypt and Sudan from around 1805 to 1914. 

 

Father of modern Egypt

The Khedival dynasty was founded by Mohammed Ali Pasha, an Albanian commander in an expeditionary force sent by the Ottoman Empire to Egypt to dislodge the French, who had occupied Egypt under Napoleon. The defeat of the French led to a power vacuum in Egypt, which had been ruled by the Ottoman Turks since the 16th century.  

Muhammed Ali Pasha consolidated his power and declared himself Khedive of the Ottoman Sultan, carried out sweeping agricultural and administrative reforms and became known as the ‘Father of Modern Egypt.' 

His successors, intermarried with members of the Ottoman dynasty, built the Suez Canal, constructed the Royal Opera House in Cairo and spent millions of dollars on urban renewal in Cairo and Alexandria.

 

Other Khedival buildings

With the exception of Hidiv Kasri, all of the Khedival mansions in Istanbul are located on the European side of the city.

The Rococo-style Hediva Sarayı (The Palace of the Khediva Mother), located in town of Bebek, today houses the Egyptian Consulate. It is by far the most beautiful overseas property of the Arab Republic of Egypt. 

 

 

The building, which was originally owned by Ottoman statesmen, served as the palace of Amina Elhami, the Khediva mother, who had the monumental building renovated, and it was eventually turned over to the Egyptian government.   

 

Further up the Bosphorus in the district of Emirgan are four buildings that were constructed by the Khedives or served as homes of members of the dynasty, Sari Kosk (The Yellow Pavilion) is located in Emirgan Park. Ismail Pasha (1830-1895), who served as Khedive of Egypt from 1863 to 1879, had the building designed and constructed by the Armenian architect Sarkis Balyan. The building, which was used by the Khedival family from 1871 to 1978, is now operated by Beltur, which serves buffet breakfasts on its wide balcony, which has a stunning view of the Bosphorus.

Pembe Kosk (Pink Pavilion), in Emirgan Park was also constructed by Ismail Pasha. The geranium pink colored building served as an observation place during the Khedive's era. The pavilion has an indoor capacity of 100 persons and outdoor capacity of 300 persons and can be rented out from Beltur on special occasions, such as weddings.

 

Ismail Pasha also built the Beyaz Kosk (White Pavilion) as the third mansion constructed in neo-classical style within Emirgan Park. The mansion is used as a cafeteria during daytime and as a Turkish-Ottoman cuisine restaurant in the evenings.

Atli Kosk (The Mansion with a Horse) is located in Emirgan. Prince Mehmet Ali Hasan of the Khedive Dynasty had the main building constructed in 1927. But it was acquired in 1950 by industrialist Haci Omer Sabanci in 1950 and is now the Sabanci Museum.