Yildiz Palace Cit Pavilion Restoration

Built in the mid-19th century the building was originally used as a library and ambassadors reception hall for foreign diplomatic missions. In the early 1980's, the Turkish Government allocated this building to serve as a research center for history, art, and culture.
Variant Names Yildiz Sarayi Çit Kasri
Location Istanbul, Turkey
Architect/Planner Nevzat Ilhan
Client I.R.C.I.C.A.
Date mid 19th c., restored 1984
Style/Period Ottoman
Centuries 19th, 20th
Decade 1980s
Building Type public/cultural
Building Usage cultural center
Project ID 1028
Keywords restoration and conservation

The restoration of this oblong, one-storey building was executed after thorough research on the original construction methods and materials was conducted. The necessary infrastructure (heating, electricity, etc.) and other amenities were installed to cater for the new type of activities taking place in the Qasr. The main reception room has been restored and converted into a multi-purpose hall equipped with simultaneous translation booths.

Some samples of the original cloth (known as çit") decorating the walls were found and left in place