Cornucopia 22 : The Sultan's Chalet

The Sultan's chalet
by Philip Mansel with photographs by Fritz von der Schulenburg

The world's grandest chalet was built by Abdülhhamid II for the visit of Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1889 and was a powerhouse of political activity in the final years of the empire. Today the house, set in the grounds of Yildiz Palace on a hill in Istanbul, is all but forgotten, Philip Mansel treads softly through its silent halls.