ISTANBUL, July 19 (Xinhua) -- After six years of restoration, Yildiz Palace in Istanbul, the final imperial governance venue of the Ottoman Empire, reopened its doors to visitors on Friday.
Speaking at the ceremony held at the palace in the Besiktas district on the European side, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan praised the meticulous six-year restoration carried out by the Presidency of National Palaces.
"With the restoration of Yildiz Palace, I believe that the historical, cultural, and touristic allure of Istanbul will be further enhanced," he said.
The palace, "one of the iconic symbols of Istanbul," Erdogan noted, will be open to the public free of charge until the end of August.
Yildiz Palace was constructed in 1880 and expanded with additional venues and pavilions, sprawling across hills and valleys along the shores of the Bosphorus Strait.
Showcasing traditional Ottoman architecture, Yildiz served as the fourth and final imperial administration center, succeeding Topkapi and Dolmabahce palaces in Istanbul and the Old Palace in the province of Edirne, the empire's former capital.
The palace compound encompasses several pavilions, a theater and opera house, and the operational Imperial Porcelain Factory. Following the renovation, some of the pavilions opened to the public for the first time. ■
