At the very tip of Istanbul’s historic peninsula, stretching between the imposing walls of Topkapi Palace and the cool waters of the Marmara, lies a green oasis: Gülhane Park. Today, this public space, where millions of local and foreign visitors breathe in the shade of ancient trees and children run with joy, was once a secluded, mysterious paradise accessible only to the Sultan and his family. The history of Gülhane Park is the captivating story of an empire’s most private garden transforming into a public park, having witnessed one of the most significant turning points in history. This is not just a change in landscape, but a green and living monument to a revolution in mindset, a transition from absolutism to a constitutional order.
The Sultan’s Secret Paradise: The Private Garden of Topkapi Palace
In the classical period of the Ottoman Empire, the land that is now Gülhane Park constituted the most important section of the Topkapi Palace’s Private Garden (Hasbahçe). “Hasbahçe” meant the private garden belonging to the person of the Sultan, protected at the highest level. This was the Sultan’s personal sanctuary, where he escaped the exhausting stress of state affairs, spent time with his family, and practiced sports like javelin and archery. This vast area, extending to Sarayburnu within the outer walls, was meticulously designed and maintained by the empire’s most skilled gardeners.
Ottoman garden art was not merely an aesthetic arrangement; it also carried a deep philosophical and symbolic meaning. The Hasbahçe was conceived as an earthly reflection of the “garden of paradise” depictions in Islamic art. The main elements of this design were:
- Water: As the lifeblood of the garden, water was distributed to every corner through marble fountains, pools, and canals. The sound of water provided both a spiritual serenity and coolness on hot summer days.
- Pavilions and Kiosks: Elegant pavilions and kiosks were built at strategic points in the garden for the Sultan to rest and admire the view. Structures like the Sepetçiler Pavilion are surviving examples of this tradition.
- Plant Diversity: The Hasbahçe was a botanical treasure adorned with rare trees, flowers, and plants brought from all corners of the empire. Especially roses, tulips, hyacinths, and fruit trees were indispensable to the garden. The name “Gülhane” (House of Roses), which gives the park its name, is a testament to how famous this garden was for its roses.
The most defining feature of the Hasbahçe was its absolute privacy. As the Sultan’s private garden, it was an area strictly forbidden to the public or ordinary palace staff. Protected by special guards from the Bostancı Corps, these gardens constituted the dynasty’s private living space, isolated from the outside world with its own rules. Behind these walls, the most intimate moments, joys, and secrets of an empire were lived.
A Turning Point in History: The Edict of Tanzimat and the Gülhane Hatt-ı Hümayunu
This garden, which had kept its gates closed to the outside world for centuries, was to become the stage for one of the most important events in Ottoman history in the 19th century. The empire, weakened militarily and economically during this period, had entered an effort to renew itself through Westernization and modernization movements. The most concrete step of this effort was the Edict of Tanzimat, read on November 3, 1839.
This edict, also known as the “Gülhane Hatt-ı Hümâyûnu,” read by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Koca Mustafa Reşid Pasha by the will of Sultan Abdülmecid, is considered the beginning of the constitutional order in the Ottoman Empire. The choice of this garden for the proclamation of the Tanzimat Edict was no coincidence. The recognition of fundamental rights such as the security of life and property, fair taxation, and equality before the law, in the Sultan’s most private property, in front of foreign ambassadors and the public, was the most powerful symbolic expression of the changing understanding of the state. The absolute will of the Sultan was now being replaced by the rule of law, and this revolution was being declared in the Sultan’s own garden.
The Opening of the Gates to the Public: The Transformation from Hasbahçe to Gülhane Park
The Edict of Tanzimat was a symbolic beginning that also changed the fate of the garden. With the relocation of the palace to Dolmabahçe Palace in the mid-19th century, Topkapi Palace and its surrounding Private Gardens began to lose their former importance. In the early 20th century, with the idea of creating public spaces brought by the Second Constitutional Era, the opening of this historic garden to the public came onto the agenda.
In 1912, with the initiatives of the then-mayor of Istanbul, Dr. Cemil Topuzlu, a section of the Hasbahçe was arranged to be converted into a public park. Some old and dilapidated structures in the garden were demolished, walking paths were created, flowerbeds were formed, and areas for public recreation were established. For a time, it even housed a casino, coffee houses, and a small zoo. Thus, the “sultan’s secret paradise,” which had been the private property of one person for centuries, was transformed into “Gülhane Park,” the common property of all Istanbulites. This transformation is one of the most beautiful examples of the social and cultural reflections of the transition from empire to republic.
Gülhane Park Today: A Breath of Fresh Air in History
Today, Gülhane Park continues to serve as one of the city’s most beloved green spaces while preserving its historical identity. The park is not just a recreational area but also offers a rich itinerary with the important cultural structures it houses.
The structures in Gülhane Park showcase the park’s multi-layered history:
- Museum of the History of Science and Technology in Islam: Located in the palace’s former Imperial Stables, this museum houses over 800 artifacts showcasing the scientific heritage of Islamic civilization.
- Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar Literature Museum Library: Located inside the Alay Pavilion, this library is a cultural center with a unique atmosphere, dedicated to important figures of Turkish literature.
- Column of the Goths: Located at the end of the park closest to Sarayburnu, this monumental column is one of the oldest known Roman-era monuments in Istanbul, dating back to the 3rd century.
- Tanzimat Edict Monument: (May be under construction or planned, needs verification) A monument to emphasize the importance of this historic site where the edict was read has often been discussed.
Gülhane Park tops the list of places to visit in Sarayburnu and is an excellent option to combine with a visit to Topkapi Palace.
- Best Time to Visit: The park is particularly colorful and enchanting in the spring, when tulips and other flowers are in bloom. In autumn, the nostalgic beauty created by the falling leaves is unique.
- What to Do?: You can sit on the benches under the centuries-old plane trees to rest after your palace tour, sip your tea against the Bosphorus at one of the tea gardens, visit the museums, or simply lie on the grass and read your book.
- Transportation: After exiting the main entrance of Topkapi Palace, you can reach the park’s main entrance gate in a few minutes by walking down along the walls. The “Gülhane” stop of the T1 Kabataş-Bağcılar tram line is right in front of the park.
