A building living with history; Guney Palas(South Palace)
Beyoglu has an unmatched history
It is one of the landmarks of Istanbul’s long-standing past. All its alleys, passageways, traditional restaurants, majestic doors and castle-like buildings which amaze you with their engravings blow your mind with their history. Guney Palas (South Palace) is an important part of this shared history. It is a “timeless” building. Even though over a century has passed since its construction, it is still gorgeously sumptuous.
Guney Palas and its residents
The first owner of the land Guney Palas stands on, in 1884, was the pharmacist Jozef Kanzof, son of an Englishman called Luici. The Guney Palas building, finished in December 1900, was sold to his highness, Sait Pasha. Its next owner was Ali Namik Efendi, in May 25th, 1905. And in March 2nd, 1933, it was sold to Certified Engineer Ragip Devres.
After that date, Guney Palas has hosted many famous and important names. From fashion designers to poets, from movie makers to writers, many remarkable names have stayed here.
The apartment was the talk of the town not only because of its residents, but with the parties held here as well. Ladies and gentlemen, adding to the glamour of Beyoglu, gathered for receptions that would take days of preparation. It also used to be frequented by Yesilcam stars (Turkish movie stars) in the 1960’s.
