Audio GuideGülhane Park

Gülhane Park, nestled in the heart of Istanbul beside the majestic Topkapı Palace, is a place where centuries of history meet tranquil serenity. Once part of the palace’s outer gardens during the height of the Ottoman Empire, it served as a private retreat—a landscape of groves and roses enjoyed by sultans and their retinues. All this changed in the early twentieth century, when these gardens were opened to the public, transforming exclusive royal paths into leafy walks for everyone.

Deniz Acar

A significant moment in its history arrived almost two hundred years ago. It was here, in the autumn of eighteen thirty-nine, that the momentous Edict of Gülhane was proclaimed, ushering in a wave of reforms across the empire. For the first time, it guaranteed rights and justice to all citizens, regardless of faith. The park’s ancient trees still seem to whisper the spirit of those sweeping changes.

Plamen B

As you stroll through Gülhane Park, you discover reminders of past ages. Standing beside the meandering paths, the imposing Column of the Goths, a relic of Roman times, commemorates a military victory. Scattered throughout the park, statues honour Turkish luminaries, including the poet Âşık Veysel and the visionary Atatürk, who famously introduced the modern Turkish alphabet to the world in a lesson given here.

Aslı Orkutcu

The park also celebrates Istanbul’s tradition of innovation. Housed in the former palace stables, the Istanbul Museum of the History of Science and Technology in Islam displays models of pioneering devices and instruments from the medieval Islamic world—tools once used for astronomy, medicine, and other sciences—attesting to a legacy of discovery that links cultures and centuries.

In recent years, a new chapter has begun, as careful restoration has revived much of Gülhane’s natural beauty. Outdated concrete has been replaced by gracefully ageing trees, some planted in the nineteenth century. Along broad avenues lined with chestnut and sycamore, the city’s hustle fades, replaced by birdsong—sometimes from exotic parrots or elegant herons nesting in the lofty branches.

Gülhane Park is alive with culture throughout the year. Its renowned Rose Festival sees the gardens fill with music, dancing, and crafts, as fragrant blossoms mark the height of spring. The park’s grounds are scattered with relics—ruined columns, palace gates, remnants of Byzantine cisterns—revealing just how far back its story stretches, from emperors and sultans to the Istanbul of today.

Despite its rich heritage, Gülhane Park is open to all. Locals linger over tea beneath towering trees, while families and couples wander through cool, shaded walkways. Glimpses of the sparkling Bosphorus appear between branches, reminding visitors how close city and water remain. This green heart of the city blends culture and nature, offering a peaceful haven where Istanbul’s past and present coexist, and every visitor finds a place to unwind and reflect.