02 May-05 July 2009

Department of National Palaces-Yıldız Şale

Within the scope of events by the Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture Agency, the exhibition “Two Friend Monarchs: Sultan Abdulhamid II and Kaiser Wilhelm II” prepared by the Department of National Palaces, was opened in Yıldız Şale mansion on 2 May 2009 with the participation of Köksal Toptan the Chairman of the Turkish Grand National, Dr. Norbert Lammert the President of the Bundestag and Dr. Katalin Szili the Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly.

The Şale Mansion which had been built in three phases for Kaiser Wilhelm to use during his visits to Istanbul, hosted the exhibition to feature Turkish-German relations, the visits by Kaiser Wilhelm II in Ottoman land and his friendship with Sultan Abdulhamid II; along with additional artifacts from the collection of National Palaces as well as Topkapi Palace Museum, the Military Museum, Vedat Nedim Tör Museum and Istanbul University Library of Rare Works.

The exhibition was visited by a total of 10.593 visitors, and featured in many TV channels and news-media.