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2014 Tulip Festival in Istanbul at Emirgan Park!!




The city of Istanbul is celebrating the 9th Tulip Festival this year. Nowadays most of the wood parks, here, have rearranged the landscape architectures with several species of tulips.
The tulip was formerly a central asian flower till it had been brought to Anatolia. The flower itself been so special that even marked as an era of Ottoman Empire's history, called the "Tulip Period". It had inspired most of the architecture, eastern mythalogy, literature, motifs used in paintings and even carpets.
In 2010, Istanbul had been selected as a cultural capital city of Europe and thereafter tulip had been chosen as an emblem of the city relevant of the effects to the history's stream on this land.



Emirgan Park is an urban historic park located at Emirgan neighbourhood in Sarıyer district of Istanbul. In the 17th century, Ottoman Sultan Murad IV presented the estate to Emir Güne Han, a Safavid Persian commander, who surrendered his sieged castle without any resistance, and followed back to Istanbul. Thereafter the place had been named as "Emirgüne", which in time became corrupted to "Emirgan". (Info from wikipedi).
Since 2006, the Municipality of Istanbul planted millions of tulips at the favourite botanic parks, avenues, roundabouts and anywhere there is ground!!! The city's look changes to a magnificent colourful festival that give delight to our eyes.

one of the ponds at Emirgan park with fountain

Tulips begin to bloom at the beginning of April and depending on the weather flowers for  a month.  As I mentioned before you can see tulip gardens as you take a tour around Istanbul, however the best ones I suggest you to sightsee at the tulip festival time with children are;
Yıldız Park, Gulhane Park, Emirgan Park, Beykoz Wood, Khediv Park, Fethipaşa Wood, Small Çamlıca Wood...
I chose to celebrate the festival at Emirgan Park with my children, because this year 211 different species of tulip has been planted in the wood.

a tulip garden

We woke up very early in the morning, made our picnic basket and also my tea as well. We drove to Emirgan Park, as we entered my children got very excited and they started showing every each one of tulip... I was glad that I brought them here, they played a lot in the park, ran, and biked. We visited the White Pavilion, Yellow Pavillion and Pink Pavillion.
I tried to count the different species of tulips and took the pictures of the ones  I could notice. Finally  I only got 20 of them!!! Anyway, if you count more than mine, let me know ;))

piano decorated with tulips and fountains

Must know about Emirgan Park
  • At Emirgan Park, other than the tulip gardens, you will have the chance to see two decorative ponds and 120 species of plants. The most notable trees of the park flora are: Stone Pine, Aleppo Pine, Blue Pine, Eastern White Pine, Japanese Cedar, Norway Spruce, Lebanon Cedar, Himalayan Cedar...
  • Many jogging tracks and picnic tables make the Emirgan Park a very popular area for the local people.
  • The three historic pavillions, called after their exterior color as Yellow Pavillion, Pink Pavillion, White Pavillion were restored between 1979-1983. Nowadays, they are opened to public as cafeteria and restaurant. 
  • Tulip Festival is during the whole April this year. So try make your plans accordingly.(After April, you may miss the chance to sightsee the beautiful tulip gardens)
  • There are closets close to parking lots and playgrounds. However, there is no a spare spot for changing diapers :((
  • Take your stroller with you, as there are long paths to walk around in the wood, and wear sneakers as well.
  • There is a chance to feed the ducks and swans at the pond, so take food suitable for the animals, since kids enjoy feeding them.
  • If possible make a visit at the exhibition of Turkish famous master painter Ismail Acar. (This is close to White Pavillion).
  • During the festival there will be severel Turkish cultural activities which you can catch up between 11:00 am-20:00 pm. Unfortunately, there is no scheduled activity calendar, so you must take a look around the area of White Pavillion to see any performance.
  • Around the walking path you will notice there are several playgrounds. Kids love to climb the spider's web and slide which is up at the hill close to Yellow Pavillion.
  • Tulip Festival time the woods are full of visitors both local and tourists. This creates a heavy traffic on the highway. So my advise is to use the public transportation, try to enter early in the morning time or at the afternoon period of the day.
  • No entrance fee to all the parks in Istanbul.
  • Parking fee for private vehicles.
an overlook to a small pond at White Pavillion

peace at the park

Transportation
  • By Private vehicle: Drive to European side of Bosphorus till Emirgan. Route your way according to "Sarı Köşk" or " Pembe Köşk" or "Beyaz Köşk" browned signs. Parking: There is a parking lot in the wood. The fee is 5 TL for each of the two hours parking.
  • By Metro: Hop off at "Ayazağa ITU"stop, then take minibuses or buses passes the front of Emirgan Park. (You can ask to the driver, will tell you when to hop off)
  • By bus: Take lines 42T, 40T, 40 from Taksim. You may also use 25E, 22, 22RE from Kabataş.
  • By Ferry: You can go to Emirgan by ferry both from European and Asian side of Bosphorus. Take a look at the schedule of ferries from http://www.sehirhatlari.com.tr/en/timetable/cengelkoy-istinye-368.html
one of the playgrounds

take a picture at the memoir corner

Address: Emirgan mahallesi. 34467, Istanbul
Phone: 90 212 277 5782

Here goes a documentary picture for tulip effect on Turkish culture, please follow the link: http://www.ibb.gov.tr/sites/istanbuldalalezamani/Pages/Videolar_LaleBelgeseli.aspx
                     
It is tulip time in Istanbul!!! So make your plans with your children for sightseeing the glorious beauty of the most famous Emirgan garden in the city!!
Get the best memoir pictures of your Istanbul in April at Tulip Festival ;))

a swan is dancing at the tulip river


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