Istanbul’s modern day Tulip Mania

By. Justin Mays

Turkey bursts into color come springtime from the wildflower filled hill tops in the Aegean to the red poppies of Thrace, but nothing is more popular than Istanbul’s annual tulip festival. Endemic to the Asian steppe, tulips were cultivated in what is now Istanbul in 1055 and by the 1400s were prized by the Ottoman court and used as a symbol of power and wealth. They became synonymous with Holland after they were exported and further commercialized there in the 16th century but in the past couple of decades Turkey is winning back international recognition as home of the flower for its bright displays of tulips every spring. 

Celebrating its role in the history of the popular flower, today millions of bulbs are planted all over the city from main boulevards to urban parks. Once they start blooming the city is awash in brilliant colors for at least a month generally from April to May. Dazzling displays are dispersed throughout the city with the most notable exhibitions on the European side.  You could easily combine a visit to view property for sale in Sultanahmet Istanbul with a stroll through Gulhane Park and a visit to the Sultanahmet Hippodrome to see the famous “Turkish carpet” made out of flowers.  Or grab a ferry to combine an appointment for houses for sale in Bosphorus Istanbul with a trip to Emirgan Park where the city impresses with its large scale displays of floral designs. The densely planted well designed beds of flowers are sure to amaze even the most jaded of visitors.