Ihlamur Pavilion

Set in a wooded valley behind Beşiktaş, this pair of small imperial pavilions was built in the mid-nineteenth century for Sultan Abdulmecid I as a garden retreat surrounded by linden trees, from which it takes its name. The ceremonial pavilion, used to receive guests, is elaborately decorated in a Baroque-influenced style, while the smaller entourage pavilion served attendants. Landscaped grounds with pools and mature trees create a peaceful enclave amid the city. Now a museum, it reveals the leisured decorative world of the late court.