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Çırağan Palace, located on the European shore of the Bosporus in Istanbul, was built between 1863 and 1867 by Sultan Abdulaziz. Designed by architect Nigoğayos Balyan and his sons, it was the last palace built by an Ottoman sultan. The structure features wooden interiors, marble exteriors, and a bridge linking it to Yıldız Palace.
After Sultan Abdulaziz’s death, his nephew Sultan Murad V lived there under house arrest until 1904. The palace briefly hosted the Ottoman Parliament in 1909 but was largely destroyed by fire in 1910, leaving only its outer walls.
In 1987, the ruins were restored and transformed into a luxury Kempinski hotel, opening in the early 1990s. Renovated again in 2007, the palace now serves as an upscale hotel and event venue, blending historical charm with modern luxury.
References:The Beckov castle stands on a steep 50 m tall rock in the village Beckov. The dominance of the rock and impression of invincibility it gaves, challenged our ancestors to make use of these assets. The result is a remarkable harmony between the natural setting and architecture.
The castle first mentioned in 1200 was originally owned by the King and later, at the end of the 13th century it fell in hands of Matúš Èák. Its owners alternated - at the end of the 14th century the family of Stibor of Stiborice bought it.
The next owners, the Bánffys who adapted the Gothic castle to the Renaissance residence, improved its fortifications preventing the Turks from conquering it at the end of the 16th century. When Bánffys died out, the castle was owned by several noble families. It fell in decay after fire in 1729.
The history of the castle is the subject of different legends.