K1 town today as the 'Caliph Abdulmecid Efendi Pavilion', the only section of the pavilion which remains today is the Selamlik section. The pavilion was constructed by the former Egyptian Khedive, Ismail Pasha in the 1880's.
The grandson of Kavalah Mehmed All Pasha, Ismail Pasha was bestowed the title of 'Khedive' in 1867 and passed away in 1885. The pavilion was inherited by one of his sons, Mahmud Hamdi Pasha. During the subsequent period, Sultan AbdulHamid acquired the pavilion and allocated it to his nephew, Crown Prince Abdulmecid Efendi. The new owner of the pavilion, Crown Prince Abdulmecid Efendi was the son of Sultan AbdulAziz and Hayranidil Kadinefendi and born at Dolmabahce Palace on May 29t",1868. His father passed away when the crown prince was just seven years old, he received a fine education during the reign of the Sultan AbdulHamid II. Raised according to palace traditions, Crown Prince Abdulmecid showed interest in an Occidental lifestyle, learning French, the piano and painting studies. He lived an introverted life in the pavilion at Baglarbasi. With the proclamation of the Second Constitutional Monarchy, he exhibited an active personality when he got involved in political and social problems. Meanwhile, he maintained strong relationships with the intelligentsia. As a consequence, he was the last surviving crown prince when his elder brother Yusuf Izzeddin Efendi committed suicide in 1916 and was declared the heir apparent of the sultanate when Sultan Vahdettin ascended to the throne on July 4 ,1918.
Their apparent crown prince moved from his pavilion in Baglarbasi to the Chamber of the Heir Apparent at Dolmabahce Palace. When the sultanate was abolished on November 1922, the title of heir apparent vanished. However, he was selected to the caliphate on November 181", 1922. When the decision regarding the abolishment of the Caliphate and dynasty members to be sent into exile was ratified on March 3rd, 1924, the Caliph Abdulmecid first boarded a train to Switzerland then travelled to Paris. Suffering a mortal heart attack on August 23rd, 1944, Abdulmecid Efendi's body was mummified at the Paris Mosque and kept in storage until the day it was repatriated back to Turkey. This wait was to last ten years, whereas his coffin was repatriated back to Medina for internment on March 30th, 1954. While Abdulmecid Efendi spent the winter months during his crown prince at the Feriye Palaces, which are currently utilized as the Kabatas Lisesi, he spent his summers with his family at this pavilion. The pavilion is located in the middle of a vast wooded area which has numerous precious trees and vegetation. Access into the garden is via the monumental gate on the south side. This gate opens to a door with wide overhanging eaves in the south part of the pavilion. The structure is comprised of two wooden floors over an ashlar block basement floor. Over the entry door is an inscription written in kilfi script over a blue background with the phrase "Allah's justice commands us to do good and look after relatives." One passes from the door into a vast hall which features a splendid marble pool in the center.
There are four rooms used for various purposes in the four corners of this hall. Access to the upper floor is via a wide wooden staircase. Ascending upstairs one sees a painting made together with one of the famous artists of the era, Awn Filiz. The wide chamber here resembles the one on the lower floor. The hall's embellished ceiling is vessel-vault shaped. There is a semi-courtyard on the other side. These parts were embellished with engraved panels. The ceiling is divided into sections with wooden bars and is adorned with various designs. The room used by Abdulmecid Efendi is on the top floor.
A square-plan balcony is found in the south section. While the balcony floor is clad in tile, the ceiling is covered with polygon-motif bars. There are rooms with couches in each of the southeast and southwest corners of the hall, with tile-clad walls in the southwest room. The ceiling was embellished with engraving colors matching the tiles. The decor in the southeast room is more sedate. While it is presumed the rectangular room that extends over the halls toward the garden was utilized as a dining room, it is believed that the east room with suns inscribed on the walls and ceiling was used as a prayer room. The Abdulmecid Efendi Pavilion was sold off in 1942. After changing hands a few more times after this period, the pavilion was restored in 1985; its original furnishings such as mirrors, painting and chandeliers have since long disappeared.
A section of the pavilion's walls adorned with marvelous tiles. The decorations continue as engravings on the cell nags. The pavilion's magnificent salon which features a marble pool in the center. Rooms in the corners of the pavilion's salon were /No 1 for various purposes. A wooden staircase ascending upwards the salon provides a connection with the upper floor.
