YILDIZ PALACE – SET PAVILION BUILDING
Known as the Set Pavilion or Viewing Pavilion, the structure is located within the Yıldız Palace complex, at parcel no. 1, block 232 in the Beşiktaş district of Istanbul. The pavilion is connected to the Grand Mabeyn Pavilion—used as the imperial reception hall—via a glass corridor. This single-storey masonry structure has the Koltuk Gate on its western side and the Saltanat Gate on its eastern side.
The pavilion was constructed in 1889 for German Emperor Wilhelm II’s visit to Istanbul, specifically for him to observe the Friday Salutation Ceremony. It is believed to have been designed by the architect Sarkis Balyan. The building has a rectangular plan extending along the north-south axis and sits atop the retaining wall from which it takes its name. With a total floor area of 175.4 m², the structure consists of a ground floor and a connecting corridor. Its ceiling is richly decorated with ornamental hand-painted motifs (kalem işi).
During the Republican period, the building was used as a guest lounge for the Military Academy. Between 1980 and 2017, it served as the headquarters of the Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA). On June 6, 2017, the building was officially transferred from IRCICA to the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye.
As ALBA İnşaat, we completed the restoration of the building between 2018 and 2022.