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Aynalıkavak
Kasrı ("Pavilion of the
Mirrored Poplar") is one of Istanbul's hidden
gems, an imperial Ottoman pleasure
pavilion in Hasköy overlooking
the Golden
Horn, seldom visited by tourists
even though it's easily accessible
by a short taxi ride from Beyoğlu.
A
wooden palace was built on this site
by Sultan Ahmet III (1703-1730),
and restored by Selim III (1789-1807).
The kasır (pavilion)
you see today is the work of Sultan
Mahmut II (1808-1839).
With
its Tulip Period (Lâle
Devri) decoration and Ottoman furnishings, Aynalıkavak
Kasrı gives a good idea
of what life was like for the Ottoman
ruling class in the eighteenth century,
when the district of Hasköy was
a thriving Jewish neighborhood.
The
pavilion's gardens and grounds provide
a welcome respite from the city's
concrete landscape.
GETTING
THERE
If your
taxi driver doesn't recognize "Aynalıkavak
Kasrı," say "Hasköy
Polis Karakolu" (police
station) or "Şükrü Urcan
Spor Tesisleri" (athletic
facilities), which are well known.
Aynalıkavak
Kasrı (closed Monday and
Thursday; small admission fee)
is a minute's walk southeast of
the Hasköy police
station along the Kasımpaşa-Hasköy
Yolu (street).
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