Date of visit: 6th April 2014
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| Feeling blessed when surrounded with sweet smells of blue lavenders |
Every April since 2006, the city
government in Istanbul has planted millions of tulips in Istanbul's parks, avenues,
and traffic roundabouts. Mostly everywhere and anywhere where there is open
ground. Because of this fact, we have scheduled our trip from March to April
resulting 2 days advance leave application due to short of leave entitlement.
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| Unique pastel colors of Tulip in Suleymaniye Mosque compound |
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| Yellow tulips in Yeni Camii |
We were blessed being able to witness in person during our stay in this historic city, i.e. from 4th
till 7th April 2014. To us, it was even glorious as spring flower festival with
brilliant splashes of color was on every direction you see, including a beautiful smell lavenders
that really able to boost your mood. The tulips begin to bloom around the end
of March or beginning of April, depending on the weather. They bloom for
several weeks and may delight the eye and the spirit for nearly a month. The municipality uses domestic producers for the festivals, mainly grown in Cumra, a town of Konya but other villagers in Sillvri, Catalca, Pamukova and Gevye also grown them.
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| Maroon and Yellow tulips at Hippdrome Square with Hagia Sophia & German Fountain as backdrop |
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| Multi colors Tulip in 5th Courtyard of Topkapi Palace |
April may not be as rain-free as
May or June, but it usually has moderate temperatures. It's indeed a great time
to visit Istanbul. The tulip is one of Istanbul's traditional symbols. Brought
to the city from Iran centuries ago, it was favoured and cultivated here until
tulip-love became a mania. In the so-called Tulip Period of Ottoman history, a
rare tulip variety could be sold for a higher sum.
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| Happiness overloads when surrounded in Red tulips - Suleymaniya Mosque |
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| Open park at Aksaray |
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| White tulips, so pure, so sinless look |
Gulhane Park means
"Rosehouse Park" received it’s name from a Persian word Gulkhana @
"house of flowers". It is a historical urban park in the Eminonu
district of Istanbul located adjacent to and on the grounds of the Topkapı
Palace. The south entrance of the park sports one of the larger gates of the
palace. It is the oldest and one of the most expansive public parks in
Istanbul. Entrance is free to all. According to Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) website, more than 1.3 million tulips from 63 kinds were planted in Gulhane Park for 2014 Tulips Festival where the festival was officiate on the day of our visit but in different location, Emirgan Woods. The event takes place from 1st till 30th April 2014 but the bloom stays for 2 months.
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| Blue Lavenders at Gulhane Park |
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| Gulhane Park |
The Rosehouse Park (Gulhane) was
the place where the 1839 Edict of Gulhane was proclaimed. The edict launched
the Tanzimat reforms in the Ottoman Empire, which modernized the empire and
included changes such as the equalization of all Ottoman citizens, regardless
of religion, before the law. The proclamation was made by Grand Vizier Mustafa
Resid Pasha, a leading statesman, diplomat, and reformer in the Empire.
Gulhane Park was once part of the
outer garden of Topkapı Palace and mainly consisted of a grove. A section of
the outer garden was planned as a park by the municipality and opened to the
public in 1912. The park previously contained recreation areas, coffee houses,
playgrounds etc. A small zoo was even opened within the park. The first statue
of the first Turkish President Kamal Ataturk was erected in the park in 1926. At present, the zoo was removed, fun
fair and picnic grounds affecting an increase in open space was refurbished.
The excursion routes were re-arranged and the big pool was renovated in a
modern style. With concrete structures removed the park regained the natural
landscape of the 1950s, revealing trees dating from the 1800s.
The Museum of The History of Science and
Technology in Islam is located in the former stables of Topkapı Palace, on the
western edge of the park. It was opened in May 2008 by the Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The museum features 140 replicas of inventions
of the 8th to 16th centuries, from astronomy, geography, chemistry, surveying,
optics, medicine, architecture, physics and warfare. I wish to recommend for
those who has more time to include a visit the museum when visiting Gulhane
Park.
I hope and prays that all photos shared in this entry would please all of you who read this post.
Note: from various sources.
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