Expo 2016 recreates late-Ottoman garden architecture

An Ottoman garden reflecting traditional Turkish garden culture has been created in Antalya for EXPO 2016, which will open its doors next month with the mottos "flower" and "children." Created over a six decare area, the Ottoman garden brings Istanbul to Antalya with its fountains, inspired by Ottoman artifacts of Istanbul, as well as obelisks, shadow clocks, "şadırvan" (water-tank with a fountain), tile works and roads decorated with podima stones.

Moreover, the garden reflects the richness of Turkish gardens with its flowers such as tulips, roses, dianthus and daffodils. ART Restoration Culture, Art and Research General Manager Nadire Mine Yar said that most of the artifacts featured in the garden are taken from the reign of Mahmud II when the modernity movement for the Ottomans began. Yar said that the şadırvan in the Ottoman Garden was inspired by the şadırvan in the garden of Haghia Sophia, which was made during the reign of Ottoman Sultan Mahmud I. The three-sided foundation right behind the bubbler is a replica of a foundation made in the Yedikule district during the reign of Mahmud II.

"The garden features two panels of tile works: one side features a symbol of a tree and the other features a symbol of a flower. These motifs stress the importance of trees and flowers for the Ottomans. The tile works featured in the Ottoman Garden were made by the experts in İznik since floriculture and horticulture were very important for the Ottomans. Fresh flowers were placed all over the gardens of the Topkapı Palace, as well as in daily life," Yar said, adding that the symbol of the nahıl tree, which is also featured in the garden is still used as the symbol of abundance in wedding ceremonies.