g2o Turkey E-Magazine 04 - Discover the iconic apartments of the Grand Rue de Péra

E-Magazine 04 - Discover the iconic apartments of the Grand Rue de Péra

İstiklal Avenue, the most famous and historically the most significant street of Istanbul, has played a major role as the center of commercial, social and political activities throughout the history of the city and the modern Turkish Republic.

Known as the "Grand Rue de Péra" in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the street also gained importance with its iconic apartments reflecting the architectural style of the era.

These buildings, which have a meaningful place in Istanbul's cultural heritage, have been frequented by many prominent figures from fashion designers to politicians, from playwrights to diplomats.

The Botter Apartment is located next to the Swedish Consulate on İstiklal Avenue. The building, designed by the famous architect Raimondo D'Aronco, according to the request of tailor Jean Botter, is among the oldest buildings in Istanbul.

The Botter Apartment is the second structure with an elevator, following the Pera Palas Hotel in Turkey. The ground floor of the Botter Apartment was used as Turkey's first fashion house called "Botter Fashion House." It is registered as a cultural heritage that requires first-degree preservation.

Also known as the Grand Club, Cercle d'Orient stands out as one of the most beautiful and ancient buildings in Beyoğlu. This building, constructed by architect Alexandre Vallaury in 1883 at the request of Abraham Pasha, was initially built for residential purposes. Later, it started to be used as the first social club of the Ottoman Empire.

It hosted shops serving different areas, the most elegant stores, and distinguished tailors. After being abandoned and deteriorated following a fire in 1983, a decision for restoration was made in 2009, and the remaining structures were preserved during the renovation process. As part of the Grand Pera project today, this historic building has been registered as a Grade 1 historical monument and hosts art events.

The Misir Apartment was built in 1910 in the Galatasaray neighborhood. It is located next to St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, which is one of Istanbul's largest and most well-known churches. The significant feature of the Misir Apartment is that it is one of Istanbul's first reinforced concrete structures. The architect behind this building is Hovsep Aznavuryan, who is of Armenian descent.

360 Istanbul, which has won numerous international awards, is located on the top floor of the historic and ancient Misir Apartment. With a breathtaking 360-degree view of Istanbul, it serves lunch and dinner from World and modern Turkish cuisine, accompanied by a selection of fine wines and a rich bar menu.