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Postcard
views of the British summer embassy at Therapia (Tarabya), dated 1905, 1906 and 1903 respectively that burnt down in 1911 and was never re-built. The imposing gardens still survive and are used by the community for summer events. The neighbouring Anglican Church may have been lost in the same fire?
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Some sort of British trade station in Therapia, possibly providing British residents with goods from passing ships?
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The bay of
Tarabya attracted the wealthy and influential, the area previously being
owned by the various influential Phanariot Greek families. By the late 19th
century all the major European powers had summer embassies at Tarabya or
neighbouring Büyükdere, a heritage explored in Cornucopia
issue 6. A time later the famous Tokatliyan hotel would be built on
the curve of the peninsula. The big white house on the left up the hill
has been restored and transformed to appartments today. The building in
front was the old Greek school of Tarabya, still standing today but in a
state of half-ruin. Continuing to the left of this just beyond the edge
of the postcard, the Mavragordato house would be seen.
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The British Embassy stationary yacht Imogene was for pleasure and in case of emergencies a bolt-hole. The crew were the winners of the first organised football season 1904-5 by the Constantinople Football Club, dominated by the British Levantines of the city.
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View of the
Tarabya bay from the garden/park side of the Mavrogordato house, alternative
view, with the German embassy in the distance.
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Distant
view of the German summer embassy, still standing today
and used for their summer residence and cultural events.
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Close-up views (with roll-over) of the same embassy.
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The former German military cemetery of Therapia - more photos.
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This seems to be a misnomer, the former hotel was known as ‘Sümer Palas’ [Sumerian Palace], and according to a contributor, the building no longer existed by 1953.
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The French
embassy’s summer residence was more in the direction of Büyükdere,
as seen from view in the distance of the British embassy. According to the
book: 19.Yüzyılda Istanbul Hayatıi [Life in Istanbul
in the 19th century] - Renate Schiele, Wolfgang Muller-Wiener,
the French summer embassy in Tarabya was formerly owned by Prince
Ypsilanti (who escaped to Russia and the Sultan of the time, Selim II,
in 1807, then donated the building to the French ambassador General H. Sebastiani.
This building was later destroyed by fire.
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The building still stands but in a dilapidated condition.
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An exaggerated artist view of
the famous Armenian owned Meguerditch Tokatliyan hotel, built later (1920s?)
around the bend of Tarabya bay, which with its neighbouring houses burnt down in 1954 and became the location for the Büyük Tarabya Hotel - all information on this page compiled with the kind assistance of
Stephanie Rothenburg-Unz, a one time local resident.
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