Lonely Planet İstanbul Guide

PALACE If you continue walking past the Malta Köşkü for 10 minutes, you’ll arrive at the Yıldız Porselen Fabrikası ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Yıldız Porcelain Factory; % 0212-260 2370; www.millisaraylar.gov.tr; Yıldız Parkı, Yıldız; adult/child & student ₺ 5/1; h 9am 6pm Mon-Fri; g Kabataş Lisesi) . This factory occupies a wonderful building designed by Italian architect Raimondo D’Aronco, who introduced the art nouveau style to İstanbul. You can visit the workshop inside. The showroom at the gate sells porcelain made here, including cups and saucers, whirling dervish figures and fun mugs depicting the Ottoman sultans. The steep walk uphill from Çırağan Caddesi to the şale takes 15 to 20 minutes. If you come to the park by taxi, have it take you up the slope to the şale . ÇIRAĞAN PALACE ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Çırağan Sarayı; Çırağan Caddesi 84, Ortaköy; g Çırağan) Not satisfied with the architectural exertions of his predecessor at Dolmabahçe Palace, Sultan Abdül Aziz (r 1861–76) built his own grand residence at Çırağan, only 1.5km away. Here, architect Nikoğos Balyan, who had also worked on Dolmabahçe, created an interesting building melding European neoclassical with Ottoman and Moorish styles. The Çırağan Palace Kempinski Hotel now occupies part of the palace.

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