Kucuksu Palace of Kasra (the Little Palace of water), or, in other words, the göksu Kasri (the Palace of Heavenly water) takes its name from the rivers flowing here and flows into the Bosphorus and göksu Kucuksu. Streams themselves are very picturesque. Kucuksu adorns the Asian shore of the Bosphorus in Beykoz, Istanbul.

Kucuksu Kasri is a two-story castle located on the Bank of göksu Creek, on the Anatolian side of the city, between the castle of Anadolu Hisari and Sultan Mehmet bridge. The Palace was designed and built for the Sultan of Abdulmecid I Armenian-Turkish architects Gregory Amir Balanon and his son Nikogosian Balanon (1856 - 1857). The hand of the famous architect belongs to the famous Dolmabahce Palace. But if dolmabahçe - a brilliant handsome, pampered by the attention of tourists from all over the world resting on his laurels and well-deserved fame, Kucuksu Kasri can be called his younger brother. Not to say that it is a miniature copy of Dolmabahce, but very noticeable similarities - the same architectural techniques, small strokes.

Dimitar Mehmet Emin Pasha — Grand vizier in 1752, built in honor of Sultan Mahmud I (1730-gg.) here wooden mansion, which is obsolete and was demolished and the current building of the castle Kucuksu Kasri was built of stone in its place.

The castle is designed in the Baroque and Rococo architecture and was the summer residence of the Sultan. It is a striking monument of the so-called Ottoman Baroque. This is the style practiced by Armenian architects Balani. The design of the castle combines traditional Turkish motifs interspersed with European curiosities. Invited to the masters, who built the Vienna Opera, was responsible for the decoration of the premises.

Over semi-basement are built over 2 floors, the facade of the Palace, which have a magnificent surface finish. The basement was dedicated pantries, kitchen, utility room and staff quarters in the upper floors housed the main saloon and the four corner of the hall. This building was used for recreation or fees to hunt only during the day, so the bedrooms were not provided.

Generally, the first impression that creates the tourists the castle Kucuksu Kasri when they are in it is a cascade of stairs that goes up directly from the entrance right and left and merges into a narrow band over head. In the interior of the second floor has one of those ladders Baroque. On the second floor will attract the attention of any tourist extraordinary beauty buffet rare times printsrv future Sultan Abdulhamit II. The table is elaborately carved out of wood without a single nail Sultan hand. Decorating the salon Iranian carpet has a unique beauty of the figure patterns of different animals. Precious things, filling the kucuksu Palace of Kasri. its finish and the interior is decorated in Ottoman style sunset period of Ottoman rule: chandeliers from Czech glass, marble from Italy, Turkish and Persian carpets, paintings on the walls are originals Aivazovsky, huge mirrors to reflect and amplify the light of the massive chandeliers, amazing ceilings are covered with gold-painted.

The Palace adds a special touch to the carving that adorns the building outside. Fountain in the garden, inside the Palace, and steps made in the Baroque style. In 1803 it was built in honor of his mother, the Valide Mariah Sultan Selim III. This fountain and the swimming pool located in the garden, the castle Kucuksu Kasri one unified whole.

In 1944 the Palace was converted into a Museum and now attracts great attention of visitors and tourists with its superb carvings, carpets, crystal chandeliers and fireplaces.