A number of mansions and pavilions were constructed in these areas, which provided plenty of tranquility with clean air and green vegetation cover. An example of these structures that we can describe as places that were generally temporarily used for recreation were the Maslak Mansions, which were built in the middle of a forested area measuring 170,000 m2.
The first structuring in the region where the Maslak Mansions are found was begun during the reign of Sultan Mahmud II (1808-39). It is known that the green area situated on the slopes of Maslak was the sultans' would hunt and relax. Although there is no definitive information as to when and by whom the mansions here were built, most of the structures date to the reign of Sultan Abdülaziz (1861-76).
The Maslak Mansions were allocated by Sultan Abdülaziz to his nephew, Abdülhamid II (1876-1909) while he was crown prince. The crown prince spent his days here reading, crafting wooden furniture and dealing with his garden. Paying special attention to garden landscaping and manicuring, Abdülhamid raised selected trees and rare flower species in a magnificent greenhouse he erected. Having spent many peaceful days here, these mansions witnessed the Crown Prince Abdülhamid's invitation to ascend to the throne.
Situated in the middle of a vast wooded area, the mansions overlook the Bosphorus from a tranquil spot featuring many shades of green. Fond of staying at this venue, Sultan Abdülhamid described it thusly; "There are the Maslak Mansions above Tarabya. The southwesterly rarely blows there, it's always a prevailing northeasterly. The spot where the Bosphorus opens into the Black Sea is seen in its entirety and it's quite marvelous." As surviving examples of distinguished Ottoman wooden architecture of the late 19th century, the Maslak Mansions are comprised of the 'Kasr-ı Hümâyûn' (Imperial Mansion), the 'Mabeyn-i Hümâyûn' (Imperial Reception Hall), the 'Limonluk (Lemon Grove), the 'Cadır Pavilion' (Çadır Köşkü) and the 'Paşalar Dairesi' (Chamber of the Pashas).
"The entry floor of the Imperial Mansion building. The staircase located on ne door with four rooms in the corners ascends to the upper floor ne entrance of the Mabeym-i Hümayun building is supported with two columns."
"The Bedroom of Sultan Abdülhamid II which is situated on the lower floor of the mansion." structure; stone was used for the basement and attic sections up to the first floor while the upper section was constructed from wood. There is a balcony supported by two columns at the main entrance. The mansion's wide windows let in plenty of sunlight. There are embellishments on the ceilings and walls of all the rooms and chamber of the lower floor. Along with engraved still-life works and landscapes, the ceilings are embellished with depictions of gardens, meadows and mountains. In his work entitled, "Tarihi Odalar' (Historical Rooms), Haluk Şehsuvaroğlu described the interior of the mansion thusly; "On perspective to the structure's entrance, Abdülhamid set aside the last room on the right side of the lower floor as his bedroom. He blunted the second of the two doors that opened into this room. Upon entering from the first door, he would adjourn to his bedroom from a mirrored door which bears the initials 'A.H'. as it is reportedly said he crafted it with his own hands..." Besides Abdülhamid's bedroom, there was also a dining room as well as a small guest room on the lower floor of the Kasr-ı Hümayun. The top floor is reached via a double-branch Baroque staircase.
It is understood from historical records that this staircase was crafted by Abdülhamid, who was a master carpenter. The staircase leads up to a large chamber on the top floor. The doors of the rooms positioned on both sides open into this chamber. Embellished with engravings on the ceiling, this floor is also discussed in a work by Şehsuvaroğlu; "The ceiling of the large, rectangular chamber found on the top floor of the Kasr-ı Hümayun is embellished with geometric designs that are not very ornate and various big twisty branches. The plainness of the side walls was dealt with by placing two fireplaces across from each other as well as large crystal, gold-gilded lengthwise mirrors over these. This chamber was furnished with heavy, gold-gilded ensembles. A gilded, oval-shaped marble table was placed in the center. The marble fireplace mantles are ornamented with clocks and bronze vases. The first room from the left surrounding the chamber was a recreation room replete with couches, piano and folding armchairs. Crown Prince Abdülhamid would play the piano and compose music in this room." A number of important developments occurred on the Ottoman throne during the tranquil days Crown Prince Abdülhamid spent at the Maslak Mansions. Sultan Abdülaziz was dethroned in May, 1876 and was succeeded by Sultan Murad V, rendering Abdülhamid the crown prince.
It wasn't long before the insufficiency which stemmed from an acute medical disorder of the sultan became apparent, whereby Mithad Pasha and Rüştü Pasha arrived at the Maslak Mansions to meet with Crown Prince Abdülhamid. The encounter was held in the vast living room of the upper floor of Kasr-ı Hümayun. Sultan Abdülhamid II described this meeting years later; "Mithad Pasha and Mehmed Rüştü Pasha came to discuss my brother's illness. I first consulted with them there. It was there that they asked me, "which type of government would you prefer, a constitutional monarchy or else an autocracy?" My reply to them was, The Austrian One of the rooms leading into the salon on the upper floor of the Imperial Mansion.
"Views from the grand salon on the top floor of the Imperial Mansion building. The opposing marble fireplaces and a gold-gilded center table adorned with engravings in the ceilings. All doors on the top floor open into this salon." Emperor would go to Hungary, wear a Hungarian hat and become Hungarian, he woud go to Austria and become one of them. If a ship captain steers his ship in the manner deemed necessary, when I arrive at the position to command, if a way of thinking about the shape the country should take for its well-being, and it is seen to be beneficial, then I'll lean in that direction." Known by everyone for his slyness, Crown Prince Abdülhamid ended this meeting with the pashas without making any promises and ascended to the Ottoman throne on August 31, 1876. Subsequently, Abdülhamid II first moved into Dolmabahçe Palace, but later preferred to reside at Yıldız Palace, believing Dolmabahçe was not secure enough. It was during this time that he had the large library he formed while he stayed at the Maslak Mansions moved to Yıldız Palace.
Another of the structures of the Maslak Mansions still extant is the Mabeyn-i Hümayun, which is northwest of Kasr-ı Hümayun. The small, elegant single-story structure is entered via two steps. The two marble columns at the entrance prop up the balcony on top. The two windows found on left and right sides on the front side together with the windows found on the sides provided plenty of light inside. The windows achieved a decorative appearance with the surrounding bricks. There is a room on the right and left sides of the entrance and a large living room to the rear. A wide door opens from this living room to a large greenhouse to the back. One encounters furniture crafted personally by Abdülhamid here. It is possible to see the sultan's initials A.H. on the cornices. There is also a lemon grove where Abdülhamid grew rare plant species that were sealed inside glass greenhouses.
The Çadır Pavilion found to the northwest of the Imperial Mansion is comprised of a space with a hearth on the bottom and a single room on top. The upper floor is reached via a double-branch marble staircase. The octagonal-plan room is surrounded with balconies, featuring slim columns that support the roof. The wide windows of the room overlook the forest.
The Chamber of the Pashas is found to the northeast of the Imperial Mansion. Constructed as a single-story ashlar block chamber, it has two entrances, one on the road side and the other in the direction of the embanked gardens. Rooms were positioned on two wings of the main entrance. The doors of these rooms open out into a corridor. There is a hamam with a boiler room on the right edge of the entrance on the road side.
From documents prepared from various renovations carried out during the reign of Sultan Abdülhamid II, it is understood the Maslak Mansions were given to Abdülhamid's son Nurettin Efendi by his father's successor, Sultan Mehmed V Reşad. The mansions were transferred to the 1st Army Command during the Republic era after the abrogation of the sultanate. Utilized as a military tuberculosis prevention ward since 1938 the mansions were transferred to the administration of the National Palaces in accordance with an agreement reached with the military in 1981, when the author of this work was the Director of National Palaces. A major renovation was conducted on the Maslak Kasirs during this period. They were furnished in accordance with the identity of a museum-palace, using the available documents, information and photographs.
Perched like a model on the seashore in the küçüksu district on the Asian side, Küçüksu Mansion is another example of a small-scale structure constructed for sultans. Built at the spot where the Göksu Creek converges with the sea, this elegant structure is like a small example of monumental structures that changed the city silhouette along with the artistic changes that evolved during the 19 century.
An excursion site from the early Ottoman era onwards, the first build-up in the region occurred during the reign of Sultan Mahmud I (1730-54). While the shores of the Golden Horn, which were highly popular until that period, experiencing their halcyon days during the Tulip Era, they were the stage of the bloody suppression of the Patrona Halil Rebellion, one of the bloodiest uprisings during the Ottoman era whereas the people's interest was geared towards the Bosphorus shores later on. Having perceived the interest in the region by Sultan Mahmud I, who ascended to the throne after the Tulip Era, Grand Vizier Divitdar Emin Mehmed Pasha commissioned the building of a wooden palace here in 1752. While a section of the palace is a single-story, the other section stretching vertically down to the sea was constructed as two-story. The portion of the palace hanging over the sea sits atop wooden beams. The records of the time indicate the extent of which Beylerbeyi was covered with cedar trees; after this wooden palace was constructed, this fine excursion spot became even more popular and eventually became one of the favorite places in the city.
Referred to as Küçüksu or Göksu, the region also garnered attention of several successive sultans. While the wooden palace was repaired by the Imperial Architects' Guild in 1774, it was put through a thorough renovation including the decorations during the reign of Selim III (1789-1807), who commissioned the fountain next to the palace on behalf of his mother, Mihrişah Sultan. Constructed in the year 1806, the fountain is surrounded by a poem comprised of 32 stanzas, whereas it was also used as an outdoor prayer venue on four sides. Sultan Selim III's successor, Sultan Mahmud II was the last sultan to undertake the maintenance and renovation of the wooden palace found here.
The wooden palace was torn down by Sultan Mahmud II's son and heir, Sultan Abdülmecid (1839-61), who replaced it with the existing ashlar block edifice in 1856-57. Having commissioned the construction of Dolmabahçe Palace during the same period, the sultan appointed Nikogos Balyan of the Balyan Family with the task of building the Mansion. Used for short periods by Abdülmecid, the mansion's exterior décor was revitalized by his successor Sultan Abdülaziz, who thought it was too plain. While the wooden palace was torn down and replaced with the existing ashlar block mansion, the fountain installed during the era of Selim III is still used today. Situated on land measuring 15x27 m., this mansion was constructed using the piling technique. Erected as a two-story structure over a basement, the mansion was "A view of Kuçüksu Mansion, which Abdülmecid commissioned Nikogos Balyan to build between 1856-57 There is a fountain with a pool between the staircases at the seaside entrance of Ruçüksu Mansion. The fountain features some beautiful stone masonry"
"The Sultan's Study is found in the southwest corner of Küçüksu Mansion. This room was used by Atatürk whenever he visited the mansion, which still has the desk he used during his visits. While the outer frames of the fireplaces in the room are rectangular, the mirrors were cut ovular. The frames are heavily wrought and gold-gilded." Rendered different from similar nearby structures of the period in that it was surrounding with wrought-iron bars instead of high walls. There are four elegant iron gates found on the four sides of the mansion. While there is a two-sided staircase with a small wall fountain in the center of the seaside façade, the window edges are adorned with winding columns and floral-motif stones. The pantry, kitchen and servants' rooms are found on the basement floor of the structure. The first floor features four rooms positioned around a central hall. There are two fireplaces in the rooms on the seaside and a single fireplace in the rooms on the landside. The marble of these rather elegant fireplaces was brought from Italy, with each fireplace of a different color and design. The rooms with lavish chandeliers hanging from ceilings embellished with engravings feature furniture and mirrors that reflect art concepts of the era. Inside, a delightful double staircase spirals round beneath an internal dome that is painted, like all the ceilings, with gold-leaf. The rooms all feature parquet floors made from walnut, mahoghany and chestnut, on top of which are laid Hereke carpets and one fine Persian carpet that is distinctive for its animal designs. Most of the chandeliers are Bohemian-crystal, although one was made in Italy. It's worth taking a peek at the bathroom which features an over-the-top marble sink, and then a super plain shower unit. Küçüksu Mansion was incorporated into the National Palaces inventory after the proclamation of the Republic; it was also used by Atatürk during the Republic era. From time to time, Atatürk would stay at Küçüksu Mansion to work and relax sing the room overlooking the meadow whenever he was in Istanbul. Used on occasion by state administrators until 1970, it was eventually restored and opened to tourism as a museum-palace in 1983.
"The room's ceiling decorations start from the ceiling overhang and continue on the ceiling. The top part of the door is embellished with triangular pediments. The Windows are covered with vivid curtains with a light-colored fabric over material with floral designs" Overlooking the rear garden in the southeast corner of Küçüksu Mansion, this room was allocated to the sultan's chief aide-de-camp. Large mirrors were positioned over the room's fireplace mantles. The gold-gilded ceiling that starts from the ceiling overhang features some refreshing craftsmanship. The room's furnishings are dominated by light colors and are upholstered with flower-patterned material. The room's other decorative elements include a colorful hanging fixture as well as free-standing corner chandeliers.
The guest room in the southwest corner of the mansion. There are high mirrored cabinets in the two side facades of the room. The fireplace in the room is crafted from dark grey marble and has a mirror above it. The mirror crests of the room with the sea view feature symbolic war and farming implements such as; sword-shield, dagger and sickle. Flowers in vases were placed within circular and segmented panels in the ceiling.
