On the European shores of the Bosphorus at Bebek stands the European-style saray of Princess Amina Elhami the Khediva-Mother.

Not unexpected in view of its grandeur, this seaside palace was successively occupied by senior Ottoman courtiers making it a venue for landmark occasions and conferences.

One of its last Ottoman owners was Ali Pasha a senior government minister before it was requisitioned from his family by no less than Sultan Abdelhamid. Estimated at the time at approximately 15,000 gold Turkish Liras the Sultan in turn offered it to Abbas Hilmi II in 1894 on the occasion of his assuming the Khedivial throne of Egypt.

A few years later Khedive Abbas built himself his own saray on the Asian side of the Bosphorous. Together with his Hungarian mistress-turned-wife he felt more at ease surrounded by an emerald orman (woods) at Tchibukli where he from the tower of his castle-looking pavilion he overlooked the northern entrance of the Bosphorous.

The older saray at Bebek meanwhile became the official residence of the Khedive's mother.

The former Khediva (Hidiva in Turkish) Amina Ilhami who was also known as al Walda Pasha now had the Bebek Saray all to herself. Although satisfied with its original layout which split the palace into two equal sections: salamlik and haramlik, Amina Ilhami allegedly commissioned court architect architect Antonio Lasciac (other sources say it was Raimondo d'Aronco) to introduce some structural changes plus add an annex in the garden. This of-course necessitated a change in the surrounding landscape. Cost of renovations amounted to approximately 113,000 pounds suggesting the saray was in dire need for rejuvenation.

Year after year the Walda Pasha summered in Istanbul with the telltale kayak and yacht anchored in front of her Bebek Saray. Occasionally the Khedivial yacht El-Mahroussa would also be seen moored nearby signifying the Khedive was en visite in Dar al-Saada (Istanbul).

Even after Khedive Abbas was removed from the throne of Egypt in 1914, his mother continued to summer in her Bebek saray up until her death in 1931. But her summers in Istanbul were not without mishaps. Taking advantage of the demise of the Ottoman sultanate, the descendants of Ali Pasha tried to claim back the palace in 1924 in a much publicized court case.

According to the Turkish press Ali Pasha's heirs were not compensated by Sultan Abdelhamid when he seized their maritime property. Hence their claim the Bebek Saray had unjustly passed hands; the late Sultan had no right to offer what was not his to give. The Khediva Mother's lawyers responded by evoking a statute of limitations clause. The legal battle dragged on much to the delight of the rising republican press and the chagrin of the Egyptian royal.

Perhaps to make sure the saray would thereafter remain in Egyptian hands, the Walda Pasha requested that upon her death the saray at Bebek would revert to the Egyptian government in order to use it as the royal Egyptian legation. But by the time she died on 12 December 1931, Turkey's venerated leader Mustafa Kemal Attaturk had firmly established Ankara as Turkey's capital. Foreign legations were asked to follow suit with the Egyptian Embassy setting up office on the hills of Tchankaya.

For a while the Saray stood empty until the day the Egyptian government decided to use it as an official residence. The consulate meanwhile would remain for the next three decades in the district of Beyoglou, first on the prestigeous Pera Avenue (today Istiklal) at No. 303, then at No. 69 Siraseliver Street off Taksim Square.

It was only in the 1960s, perhaps for budgetary considerations, that Bebek Saray started to serve its dual function as residence and consulate-general, one of the first to relocate outside the confines of historic Istanbul; Bebek was then considered a distant suburb beyond the limits of Beshiktash.

Succumbing to temptations some of the new residents took to fleecing the priceless objets d'arts that festooned the saray. Two diplomats in particular made it their mission to replace authentic pieces with fakes.

Besides the pilfering that went on someone at Foreign Affaris came up with the 'brilliant' idea to turn part of the saray into an hotel for Egyptian diplomats, a branch so to speak of "Nadi al-Tahrir" on Cairo's Soliman Pasha Street. The process of accelerated depreciation had gone into fourth gear.

Which is perhaps why the saray is currently undergoing massive restoration expected to last several years.

Notes: Other palaces on the Bosphorous that once belonged to members of the Egyptian royal family include:

Not to be forgotten is the circa 1910 art nouveau Misir Apartment building No: 163 on what used to be Grand Pera Street better known today as the pedestrian Istiklal Caddesi (street). It was designed by Hovsep Aznavuryan for account of Khedive Abbas Hilmi. Ever since it has been home to celebrities among them Mehmet Akif Ersoy, author of the Turkish national anthem. Sold to sugar baron Mehmet Khairy Ipar in 1940, this landmark building remains a prestigeous address in Istanbul and is home to high-end galleries, eateries and the panoramic "360" roof-top restaurant.

Al Ahram detailing arrival of Khedive Abbas II in Istanbul on June 7
mentioning Cibukli (Hidiv Kasri), Bebek Saray (Hidiva Saray) and the Dolma-Bahce Palace

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