Istanbul Palaces Are Great For Venues

Istanbul, which bridges Europe and Asia, is an important travel destination with its history and culture for many years. Today Istanbul is one of the most important destinations to host special events, congresses, venues and meetings. Addition to the usual meeting environment of luxurious meeting hotels, Istanbul offers meeting facilities at Istanbul's famous palaces where combine ultra-modern amenities with the splendours of the history in perfect harmony.

In this issue, we present you Beylerbeyi Palace and Dolmabahce Palace and Gardens. We hope to host you and your special venue in Istanbul.

Beylerbeyi Palace
Beylerbeyi, formerly known as Istavroz (crucifix), dates back to the Byzantine era along with its environs. Famous for its gardens, the region attracted the attention of the Ottoman Sultans, who created here, throughout the centuries, the most famous of royal gardens. In the course of time, the shores this point came to be known as Beylerbeyi after the waterside residence built here by Mahomet Pasha, the Beylerbeyi (governor-general) of rudely, during the reign of Sultan mural III (1574-1595). Following the construction of a number of different buildings at various periods wooden palace, which came to be known as the ‘‘ Yellow Palace '' because of the color of its façade, was built here on the orders of Sultan, and the terraced gardens, which have survived to the present day, were first laid out. The wooden palace erected by Sultan Mahmud II was destroyed by fire in 1851 and was replaced in the years 1861-1876, during the reign of Sultan Abdüllaziz, by the present palace and its outbuildings. The Tunnel, the Marble Pavilion and the pool, which had belonged to the old building, were preserved and have survived to the present day as part of existing complex.

Beylerbeyi was assumer palace used more particularly for the entertainment of representatives of foreign states, including the Prince of Serbia, the King of Montenegro and the French Empress Eugenie among its guests. Sultan Abdülhamid spent his last year in the palace after his deposition and was here, in 1918 that he died. Beylerbeyi Palace is a unique architectural monument reflecting the imperial art and culture of the last Ottoman period. It displays neo-classical influences in its interior decoration, while its plan resembles that of the traditional Turkish House. It consists, together with the basement, of a three-storey building, containing six salons and twenty-four rooms. The rooms and salon are furnished with furniture imported from Europe, Turkish-Hereke carpets, floor matting from Egypt, English and French crystal chandeliers, English and French clocks together with clocks made in the Golden Horn arsenal and vases from China, Japan, France and Yildiz porcelain factory in Istanbul, while the rooms and salons are adorned with inscriptions and paintings, each a work of art in itself. Sultan Abdülaziz, the founder of the palace, took a particular interest in its decoration and is known to have himself made sketches for some of the ceiling paintings connected with the sea and naval battles. The Marine Pavilions on, the shore, the Marble Pavilion, the Yellow Pavilion and the Stable Pavilion in the upper terrace garden, as well as the Tunnel underneath the terrace gardens, combine with the main building the complete the complex. Other buildings, such as the Avagat Apartment, the Music Room, the Deer Pavilion and the Lion House have not survived.

The Tunnel and the Stable pavilion have been restored to their original state and are now used for cultural and artistic activities.

Meeting facilities
Beylerbeyi Palace has several places for banquets; the capacity of Has Bahçe is 800-1000, Has bahçe and harem bahçe together is 1600, üst (Upper) Set Bahçe is 500-600, orta (Mid) Set Bahçe is 300-400, Upper and mid set Bahçe together is 800-1000, Tunnel 350-400, Ahir Kösk 200-250, Ahir Kösk Garden 600-700.

Dolmabahçe Palace and Gardens
Construction of the palace and its periphery walls was completed in 1856. Dolmabahçe Palace has a total area of 110,000 sqm and originally includes twenty-six separate sections apart from the palace proper. Restoration of Dolmabahçe Palace is still carried on and most of the sections are open to the public. Two galleries are devoted an exhibition of object d'art various kinds and fine examples of Yildiz porcelain from the National palaces, which are displayed in rotation. The lower floor beneath this gallery is corridor containing a permanent exhibition of photographs of the bird designs which feature in the palace's architecture and its furnishing and ornaments. These two galleries are still in restoration and will be completed in a short period. Abdülmecid Efendi Library in the Mabeyn is the other principal exhibition area at Dolmabahçe. The Mefrusat Dairesi at the palace entrance now houses the Cultural and Information Center, which is responsible for research project and promotion activities carried out at all the historic building attached to the Department of National Palaces. The center contains a library, mainly relating to the 19th century, which is available for the use of researchers. The Ceremonial Hall and gardens are available for private receptions. Special exhi bition areas have now been established, and numerous cultural and art events are held in the palace.

Meeting facilities
The gardens of the palace are available for cocktail parties, dinner receptions and fashion shops. The capacity of the Selamlik Has Bahçe (front garden) is 1000 for banquets and 1200 for cocktail parties. The capacity of Kusluk Bahçesi (Aviary Garden) 350 for banquets. Harem Garden 250 for banquets, Veliaht front garden 350-400 for banquets, Veliaht Back Garden 300 for banquets, Medhal Salon 100-150 for banquets.

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Istanbul Hosts The Inaugural F1 Turkey Grand Prix

In August, Istanbul will host the inaugural Formula 1 Turkey Grand Prix on August 21. The Grand Prix will take place at Istanbul Park, which is built as an all-new purpose circuit. The Istanbul Park is located on the Asian side, six kilometers from the junction of Kurtkoy on the north side of the Trans-European Motorway. The site is close to the newly operational Sabiha Gokcen Airport.

An unusual feature of the venue is that the lap will run anti-clockwise, making the Turkish Grand Prix only the third race on the calendar to do so (San Marino and Brazil are the other two). It possesses a wide variety of corners, and while perhaps not as technical as, say, Shanghai, it should definitely provide the drivers with real challenge, especially given the reduced downforce available in 2005.

Coulthard also had the chance to sample the Istanbul Park circuit which will host this month's Grand Prix. After lapping the new venue in a road car, Coulthard told Red Bull's official website that “this is going to be one of the most difficult race tracks on the calendar.”

The circuit has 13 curves, runs 655.5 meters over four level sections with rising and descending grades. The max pedal-to-the-metal speed is 320 kilometers per hour.

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Miniature Park of Turkey

How long would it take you to go from Selimiye Mosque in Edirne to Ishak Pasha Palace in Dogubeyazit? Or from Sumela Monastery in Trab-zon to the Yivli Minaret in Antalya? Indeed, these are all places at oppo­site ends of Turkey. So, what would you say if we told you that you co­uld see all of these in just a couple of hours?

But there's more. On the same day you can see the house in Thessalo-nica where Ataturk was born and you can see the Mescid-i Aksa in Je­rusalem. Moreover, they are side by side...The Mausoleum of Mevlana in Konya, the Halikamas Mausoleum that is now in the British Museum, the Altar of Zeus found in the Pergamon Museum, Ataturk's Mausole­um, Suleymaniye Mosque, the ruins of Mount Nimrod can all be seen in one day. How, you ask? In Istanbul there is a place where you can see all of these: Miniaturk, Turkey's first and only miniature park, located on the banks of the Golden Horn.

The Park of the Miniatures of Turkey
This miniature city is an exhibition of miniature models that are taken from important historical works found in Turkey and surrounding areas. Everything is so easy here that you feel as if you have wandered from the east of Turkey to the west of Turkey, from the north of Turkey to the south of Turkey all in one mo­ment. Of course, walking through the part is not the same as seeing the works themselves. But seeing these miniature works is a different kind of pleasure; after seeing the mi­niature you will want to see the re­al thing.

For example, in this park the cupo­las of the Great Mosque in Bursa are at chest height. The minarets of Selimiye are two meters high; the incredibly long Lion's Road of the Anitkabir is only a few meters long. Everything has been made 25 times smaller. Houses, palaces, mosques, temples, bridges, aquaducts, cars, trains, planes, ships, human figures, even trees and flowers.,,

"Whoever you are, whatever you are, come"
In the first stage of Miniaturk, 105 works were chosen from among thousands of historical works; the cri­teria were the fame of the work, its being a representative of its era, what the structure is used for and the abi­lity of the structure to be turned into a model. From the time of the anci­ent Romans and Byzantines to the Seljuks and Ottomans, every civiliza­tion that ruled over this land and left traces can be found in Miniaturk.

Mevlana said "Whoever you are, whatever you are, come"; it is for this reason that his mausoleum is the first work that greets visitors on entering the park. It is an indication of the rich cultural geography that you are stepping into, The most im­portant characteristic of Miniaturk is that it is the representative of the 3,000 years of history and the innu­merable cultures that sheltered in this land.

A Huge Complex in a Miniature Park
The total area of Miniaturk, the mi­niature park completed in the shortest time, 22 months, is 60,000 square meters. Alongside the mo­dels in Miniaturk's huge complex is a restaurant, a cafeteria, a shopping centre, a cinema, an exhibition hall, a library, a blueprint archive, an open air theatre and a children's park. Everything needed to ensure that visitors spend an agreeable and educational time has been provided.

After you have set foot in this ma­gical atmosphere it will be hard to tear yourself away. In particular, children love the Miniature Express, and they find it hard to say good bye to the Trojan Horse, the Otto­man Galley and the castle, all found in the children's play area. Miniaturk is planning to greet its 1,000,000th visitor in its first year, setting a world record.

A Project with Cultural and Social Responsibilities
Miniaturk is not just a pleasant park for tourists that make clear the po­wer and beauty of 3,000 years of ci­vilization; at the same time it is a project that takes up cultural and social responsibilities. The younger generation is able to discover what a deep - rooted civi­lization has nurtured them. The first address of both domestic and foreign tourists should be Mini­aturk; it is the perfect place for tho­se who want to have a quick tour around wonderful Turkey. In short it is the Showcase of Turkey!

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Wine Returns To Its Homeland

Since the time of the Hittites around 2000 BC grapes have been cultivated and made into wine in Anatolia, which some regard as the homeland of wine. In antiquity the Aegean and Marmara shores exported wine and olive oil to all the countries bordering on the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, and the resulting wealth enabled them to build magnificent cities graced by marble temples and stone villas.

In recent years wine growing has enjoyed a new upsurge in Turkey, with capital being poured into modernising and expanding wine production from the country's out­standing grapes. Turkish wines have won numerous gold medals in international competitions, and interest in wine is growing steadily both at home and abroad. New vineyards are being established, wine lovers have founded societies, visits are made to vineyards at har­vest time, and tasting parties are organised. In short, wine is on its way to becoming Turkey's most popular alcoholic beverage.

In particular, the Sarafin project launched by the Doluca wine com­pany has attracted great interest both in Turkey and elsewhere. Under this project, French Chardonnay grapes, known as 'the whitest of the white' and Cabernet Sauvignon, the noblest of the red wine-making grapes, are now being grown in Turkey on the shores of the Gulf of Saroz on the Aegean, where the finest grapes have been cultivated since antiquity. The grapes are made into wine accord­ing to the latest production tech­nology as used in California.

According to an article which appeared in Newsweek magazine, changing climatic conditions as a result of global warming are bring­ing about a search for new locations for viticulture, and in terms of fertil­ity of soil and climate Turkey has a promising future in this field. Wine International magazine has also written on this subject The most appropriate Turkish grape varieties for making wine are the Bogazkere and Okuzgozu grapes grown in eastern and south­eastern Anatolia.

One of the world's best red wines is made from these two grapes. In western Anatolia the Emir grape is regarded as one of the world's best varieties for making white wine. Another famous grape variety is the Kara, known as Papaz Karasi in Trakya, Ç al Karasi in Denizli, Horoz Karasi in Kilis, Ada Karasi on the island of Av§a in the Marmara Sea, and Kalecik Karasi in Ankara. This variety is thought to go back to the Hittites or Phrygians, and is used to make an excellent red wine which is the new favourite of wine growers, At present Turkey is fourth in the world in terms of vineyard area, and the world's fifth largest producer of table grapes.

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