Ciragan Palace was the residence of Sultan Abdulaziz, built in 1874. Today the Palace serves as an event center and luxury hotel.
There were a series of defensive walls built around Constantinople (now Istanbul) since it's founding as the capital of the East Roman Empire. Many of these walls can be still be seen today as you move about the city and many have been removed as the city expanded outside it's medieval boundaries. The Golden Gate was the Ceremonial entrance into the capital, but with the final capture of Constantinople in 1458 the Sultan added three large towers to the existing four resulting in Yedikule. Yedikule has stood as the Treasury, Archive, and State Prison over the years. Today it is wonderful back drop and open space for an event.
