YILDIZ PALACE – CHIT PAVILION
The Chit Pavilion is located within the Yıldız Palace complex, at parcel no. 1, block 232, in the Beşiktaş district of Istanbul. It was constructed during the reign of Sultan Abdülaziz (1861–1876) and is attributed to the architect Sarkis Balyan.
The pavilion takes its name from the “chit” fabric used as wall covering in its interior. During the reign of Sultan Abdülhamid II, it was used as a reception hall (arz odası) where the Sultan welcomed ambassadors and foreign diplomats. In accordance with this function, the walls were covered with dark red satin fabric embroidered with white stars. This unique decoration gave the pavilion its name.
The Chit Pavilion is a single-story masonry building with a partial basement. It has a narrow, elongated rectangular plan consisting of interconnected rooms that lead to a final reception hall. Mostly imported materials were used in its construction. While the structure reflects Western influence in its layout, construction techniques, and interior decoration, the façades display characteristics of Turkish-Islamic architecture. It is believed that this pavilion was the first Ottoman building to use cement material, prefabricated artificial stone elements, and satin fabric for interior wall decoration.
The pavilion has three entrances: one from Koltuk Gate, one from the garden of the Büyük Mabeyn Pavilion, and one from the harem side. From the entrance on the lower level to the reception hall, each successive room increases in architectural refinement and grandeur.
The pavilion served as the palace headquarters during the years 1877–1878 and again in 1897. It was used by the Military Academy until 1978, after which it was transferred to the Ministry of Culture and allocated for use by IRCICA (Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture). The first documented restoration was carried out in 1883, and the most recent prior to ALBA’s involvement took place between 1982–1983. The final restoration preserved the building’s unique characteristics and ensured its longevity.
On June 6, 2017, the Chit Pavilion was transferred from IRCICA and placed under the auspices of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye.
As ALBA İnşaat, we completed the restoration of the building between 2018 and 2022.