In the heart of Jerusalem, beneath the windows of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, stands a seemingly unremarkable wooden ladder. And yet, it has not moved since 1757. Its immobility tells a story of complex religious rivalries and unresolved historical tensions among the various Christian sects jointly administering the church. At the height of one such conflict, an argument over the division of duties and sacred spaces grew so fierce that it threatened to erupt into violence.
Word of the escalating dispute reached the Ottoman sultan. In response, he issued a firm decree from Topkapı Palace, which was the imperial center at the time: No party shall alter the existing arrangement until further notice. The sultan’s order froze the situation. Everyone remained exactly where they were – even a man who had been cleaning the windows, his ladder left leaning against the wall. To this day, that ladder has not been touched. It remains a quiet but powerful emblem of peace.
This historical anecdote continues to resonate today. It reflects not only the centrality of Jerusalem in the Ottoman imagination, but also the symbolic weight of Istanbul – then the heart of an empire, now a global city still deeply intertwined with Middle Eastern affairs. It reminds us that sometimes, solutions for conflicts in the holy land are expected not from within, but from without – and often, they are expected to come from Istanbul.
Today, the same city that once preserved peace in Jerusalem through a decree from Topkapı Palace is once again offering a response – this time from another Ottoman palace, Dolmabahçe and this time not with a firman, but with art.
Dolmabahçe Palace, now serving as both a historic monument and a center for international diplomacy, continues to play a symbolic role in peace efforts. Indeed, Türkiye also chose Dolmabahçe as the venue for peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, underlining the palace’s continuing diplomatic significance. On May 7, Dolmabahçe offered a different kind of response to the Palestinian question, hosting the opening of the “Sadakat” ("Loyalty") exhibition in the Dolmabahçe Museum Exhibition Hall, one of the palace’s cultural spaces.
The exhibition’s title, "Sadakat," is no coincidence. It means loyalty, fidelity and devotion – words that carry political and spiritual meaning in Palestine. The artworks on display are not merely aesthetic expressions; they are acts of unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian people. Many pieces evoke themes of endurance, mourning, spiritual resistance and memory – honoring the dignity and determination of a people who continue to suffer under occupation.
The opening of the exhibition was not just an artistic moment, but a symbolic one. It again positioned Dolmabahçe Palace as a place from which Istanbul sends its message to Jerusalem. Just as the sultan once issued a firman from Topkapı to preserve peace among Christian sects, today a new message is being issued from another Ottoman palace – Dolmabahçe – this time in the universal language of art.
One of the most touching aspects of the exhibition was the involvement of children through the “Palestine Art Passport” project, developed by the children’s publisher Komorebi Çocuk. Young visitors received blank passports to fill with their own drawings, messages and symbols of love, support and belonging for Palestine.
Curator Meryem Veli expressed her deep satisfaction at uniting such a diverse group of artists around a shared purpose. She emphasized the need for alternative forms of advocacy for Palestine – forms grounded in culture, history and the arts, rather than in slogans or temporary attention. For her, "Loyalty" is more than just an exhibition; it is a carefully crafted answer to the question: “What can we do for Palestine through art?”
And that answer, given from Dolmabahçe, is meaningful in yet another way. Just as the Ottoman Sultan once assumed responsibility for resolving a religious dispute in Jerusalem, today’s cultural stewards of Istanbul are responding again – not to settle territorial claims, but to help heal wounds, affirm dignity and remind the world that the bond between Istanbul and Jerusalem still endures.
The "Loyalty" exhibition is open to the public until May 17 at the Dolmabahçe Museum Exhibition Hall. All proceeds will go toward humanitarian support for the Palestinian people. This is an invitation to remember, reflect and act – a ladder left in place. A line of calligraphy inked with care. A passport filled with children’s drawings. These are the new symbols of loyalty – and they rise not in silence, but in beauty.
