AYNALIKAVAK PALACE

The only surviving structure from the Tersane Palace, also known as the Aynalıkavak Coastal Palace, which was the fourth largest palace of the Ottoman Empire in Istanbul, is the Aynalıkavak Pavilion. The area, stretching from the slopes of Okmeydanı towards the shores of the Golden Horn, was, according to historical sources, a promenade and resting place for emperors during the Byzantine period. After the conquest of Istanbul by Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror (1444-1481), this large grove, which also attracted the attention of the Ottoman sultans, became known as the "Tersane Hasbahçesi" (Shipyard Royal Garden) along with its gardens, due to the Ottoman shipyard established in the area. The first known structure in the Hasbahçe is the pavilion built by Captain Admiral Halil Pasha for Sultan Ahmed I (1603-1617) at the end of 1613. In later periods, new pavilions, mansions, and additional structures were added, bringing the Tersane Palace to its final form. In the palace's extensive gardens, which rise in terraces, one of the new pavilions overlooking the Golden Horn was built by Sultan Ahmed III. Aynalıkavak Palace was the venue for the circumcision ceremony of Ahmed's (1703-1730) sons.