Gülhane Park occupies the former outer garden of [Topkapı Palace](/fr/attractions/palais-de-topkapi), on the slope running down from the old city to Seraglio Point (Sarayburnu), where the Golden Horn meets the Bosphorus. Reserved for the Ottoman court, it opened to the public in 1912. Today it is one of the largest green spaces in the historic centre, free and open every day, with its avenues of plane trees, flowerbeds and terrace tea gardens. The park also has a place in history: the Edict of Gülhane, which launched the Tanzimat reform period, was proclaimed here in 1839, and Atatürk presented the new Latin alphabet for the Turkish language here in 1928. Allow an hour to walk through to the Column of the Goths, longer if you visit the museum housed in the palace's former stables.
Highlights
The main avenues
From the main entrance on Alemdar Avenue, a wide path lined with plane trees and cedars slopes gently down towards the sea. Benches, fountains and lawns make it a shady break between two sights in Sultanahmet.
The Column of the Goths
About 15 metres high, this marble column topped by a Corinthian capital is one of the oldest Roman monuments in the city. Its Latin inscription celebrates a victory over the Goths. It stands at the far end of the park, near the Sarayburnu exit.
April tulips
Every spring, the park is one of the venues of the [Istanbul Tulip Festival](/fr/attractions/festival-des-tulipes-istanbul): in 2025, the municipality planted 1.6 million bulbs here. Flowering usually peaks around the middle of April.
The Museum of the History of Science and Technology in Islam
Housed since 2008 in the palace's former stables (Has Ahırlar), on the edge of the park, it displays reconstructions of astronomical instruments, maps, clocks and medical devices from the Islamic world. It is open every day from 9am to 6.30pm.
Infos pratiques
Tips
Entry to the park is free. The park is the most pleasant route between the tram and Topkapı Palace, and the entrance to the [Istanbul Archaeology Museums](/fr/attractions/musee-archeologique-istanbul) is right next to its main gate. If you walk down to the end of the park, the tea gardens set on the old terraces look out over the Bosphorus and the Asian shore. In April, during the tulip festival, come on a weekday: at weekends the park is very busy with Istanbul families.
How to get there
Main entrance on Alemdar Caddesi, Cankurtaran, Fatih, Istanbul. Tram T1 to Gülhane, right in front of the entrance. Marmaray or tram T1 to Sirkeci, then a 5-minute walk to the lower entrance; from [Hagia Sophia](/fr/attractions/sainte-sophie-istanbul), it is a 5-minute walk.
Opening hours
Nearby
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