Tayyare Apartments facts for kids
| Crowne Plaza Istanbul Old City | |
Quick facts for kids  Tayyare Apartments as Crowne Plaza Hotel Istanbul Old City today |
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| Hotel facts and statistics | |
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| Location | Istanbul, Turkey |
| Coordinates | 41°00′35″N 28°57′28″E / 41.00972°N 28.95778°E |
| Address | |
| Architect | Ahmet Kemaleddin |
| Owner | Turkish Aeronautical Association (THK) |
| No. of restaurants | 2 |
| No. of rooms | 265 |
| Total floor area | 25,000 m2 (270,000 sq ft) |
The Tayyare Apartments are a group of four buildings in Istanbul, Turkey. A famous Turkish architect named Mimar Kemaleddin designed them. They were finished in 1922. These apartments were first built as homes for people who lost their houses in a big fire. Later, they were turned into a hotel. Today, this complex is a five star hotel called Crowne Plaza Istanbul Old City. It is part of the Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts chain. Before that, it was known as the Ramada Hotel and then the Merit Antique Hotel.
Contents
History of the Tayyare Apartments
Building Homes for Fire Victims
In 1918, a huge fire swept through the old city of Istanbul. It destroyed many buildings in areas like Cibali, Altımermer, and Fatih. After the fire, plans were made to build new homes. These homes would be for people with lower incomes who had lost everything. A well-known Turkish architect, Kemaleddin Bey, was chosen for this important job. He was asked to design apartments in the Laleli area.
The Ottoman Ministry of Foundations gave the land for the new buildings. This land used to be part of the Koska Madrasa, which belonged to the Laleli Mosque. The madrasa was partly damaged by an earthquake in 1894 and then burned down in 1911. People living in Istanbul gave money to help build the apartments. Construction started in 1919 and finished in 1922.
Design and Features
The buildings were designed in a style called Turkish neoclassical architecture. They are not very tall, with a ground floor, a middle floor (mezzanine), and two more floors. There is also a roof floor. The total height is about 22.91 m (75.2 ft).
The complex has four buildings that look the same. They are square-shaped and are separated by open spaces called atriums. All four buildings together form one large block. The Tayyare Apartments were special because they were the first modern buildings in old Istanbul made with reinforced concrete. They were also the first public housing project inside the old city walls.
There were 124 apartments in total. Some had three rooms, and others had five rooms. Each apartment also had a covered terrace. The complex included 25 shops. There was a shared laundry room and coal storage areas for each apartment.
New Name and Purpose
The buildings were first called "Harikzedegân Apartmanları." This means "Apartments for Fire Victims." However, the Ottoman Empire ended around the time the apartments were finished. So, the people they were built for could not move in.
Later, the apartments were given to the Turkish Aeronautical Association. This group was called "Türk Tayyare Cemiyeti" back then. "Tayyare" means "aircraft" in Turkish. Because of this, the apartments were renamed "Tayyare Apartmanları," or "Aircraft Apartments." People lived in these apartments until 1985. The apartments are located near the 18th-century Laleli Mosque, between Beyazıt Square and Aksaray.
From Apartments to Hotel
In 1985, the historic apartment complex was rented out to a company called Göksel Marine. The plan was to turn the buildings into a three-star hotel. However, Göksel Marine did not have enough money for the project. So, they partnered with another company, Net Holding.
Net Holding spent US$27 million to change the Tayyare Apartments into a five-star hotel. Architect Erdem Ertunga led this big project. At first, the hotel was called "Ramada Hotel." Later, it became the "Merit Antique Hotel."
In November 2000, Net Holding took full control of the hotel. But in 2003, the Turkish Aeronautical Association (THK), which owned the buildings, ended the rental agreement. This happened because of money problems. The THK then rented the buildings to a textile company called Naz Giyim in November 2005. Naz Giyim agreed to pay US$3 million each year for twenty years.
Becoming Crowne Plaza Istanbul Old City
Naz Textile made a deal with the Crowne Plaza hotel chain to rename the hotel. They started to renovate the buildings. The plan was to open the hotel by the end of 2006.
On May 26, 2008, the complex finally opened its doors. It had been empty for almost three years while being renovated. Three of the four buildings were ready. The hotel was now called the Crowne Plaza Hotel Istanbul Old City. It is a five-star hotel with a total area of 25,000 m2 (270,000 sq ft).
The hotel has 265 fancy rooms. It also has a special lounge for important guests, meeting rooms, and spaces for events. There are two restaurants that serve Turkish and international food. The hotel also has a health club.
The Crowne Plaza Istanbul Old City is close to many famous historical places. Guests can easily walk to the Grand Bazaar, Topkapı Palace, and the Blue Mosque. These are all popular tourist spots in the old city. The hotel is about 5 km (3.1 mi) from Taksim Square and 13 km (8.1 mi) from Atatürk International Airport.
Images for kids
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Tayyare Apartments seen from east
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Inside view of staircase and balconies
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Atrium café of Crowne Plaza Hotel Istanbul Old City (Tayyare Apartments)
