FINE Wine & Champagne India - Winter 2018

to restore the Palace and
execute the plans for a new
luxury hotel in the traditional
Turkish architecture that
were whetted by the Council
of Historic Buildings. The
Kempinski Group would
manage the property which
opened its historic gates in
1992.
Istanbul Classic
Many phases of modernisation
and renovations later, the
Çirağan Palace Kempinski
Istanbul is the jewel on the
European shores of the
Bosphorus that mirrors the
glamorous life of ultimate
luxury of an Ottoman Sultan
for its guests.
A Legend
The only Ottoman Imperial Palace on the Bosphorus where
the Sultan’s once lived, the Çirağan Palace has a heritage
that dates back to the 17th century. The Sultan’s daughter
hosted lamp-lit celebrations or “Çirağan Festivals”, in the
lush gardens that extended from Ortaköy to Beşiktaş. The
Persian word Çirağan meaning “lamps” became synonymous
with the Bosphorus shore-line.
Sultan Abdülaziz completed the Palace in an “Eastern” style
with North African influence and moved in in
1871. No expense was spared to pander to his
opulent tastes – the finest marbles, motherof-pearl,
rare woods and special craftsmen
were brought in from all over the world. The
final bill – 2.5 million Ottoman gold coins!
We are celebrating a landmark
anniversary. Our dear friends,
H.E. Şakir Özkan Torunlar
(Ambassador of Turkey to
India) and his wife Leyla, have
weighed in on our choice of
Istanbul as a destination. It is going to be our first ever
visit to the historic Eurasian city. As regards our lodgings,
it seems that there is no choice – Çirağan Palace it has
to be!
Bookings done, the concierge Sinan shares details of the
special Çirağan Welcome Service – we could choose to
arrive by helicopter at the helipad at the Palace entrance
on the Bosphorus, by yacht at the Palace jetty or by
A devastating fire in 1910 reduced the splendour
to ashes. During the post-war occupation
of Istanbul, the charred ruins of the Palace
were barracks for the French Military and the
grounds were home to the Beşiktaş Football
Team.
After many decades of neglect, the Turkish
Ministry of Culture and Tourism took on a
very ambitious project to bring back the
glory of the Çirağan and its gardens – the
R. H. Sanbar Group secured the mandate
112 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA