Executive Future Insights Event

The location of Çırağan, situated today between Beşiktaş and Ortaköy, was known in the 17th century as the “Kazancıoğlu Gardens.” In the 18th century, the seaside palaces and gardens adorning the shores of Beşiktaş became among the most significant symbols of the Tulip Era — a period often described as an age of “Love for Flowers and Music.” This era represented not only a time of celebration and entertainment but also a remarkable period of cultural brilliance. The ruler of the time, Sultan Ahmed III, gifted his estate in this area to his favored Grand Vizier, Ibrahim Pasha. The first waterfront mansion was commissioned by Nevşehirli Damat Ibrahim Pasha for his wife, Fatma Sultan (daughter of Ahmed III). It was here that the famous “Çırağan Festivities” — illuminated torchlight celebrations — were held. Due to these grand festivities, the area began to be known as “Çırağan,” derived from the Persian word çerâğân, meaning “lights” or “illumination.”