For about two decades now, city municipality in Istanbul is dedicated to turn Istanbul into a large tulip garden. Starting in mid March till about end of June we see parade of different kinds of tulips, all shapes and colors cheerfully color the streets, parks, public areas.
Visitors seeing these tulips immediately say, "tulips from Holland". That moment, my heart sinks and as a guide as start telling the story, after all it is my job. Origin of tulips and the Turks are the same, Central Asia. As Turks immigrated to Asia Minor from the 10th century on, they carried their beloved tulip bulbs with them, planting it in their new homeland. It was not only known as the Turkish flower, but also the holy flower due to it's name. The original name for tulip in Turkish, lale, comes from Persian (Turks went thru what was Persia on their way from Central Asia to Asia Minor), and it is called "laleh". In Arabic "laleh" and Allah are written with exactly same letters making the flower the holy one. This is why in traditional decoration of mosques, it has been the most popular figure.
Tulips in miniature painting and on tiles of the Rustem Paşa Mosque in Istanbul
Emirgan Park, north of the city center is the main destination during spring for tulips.
The Yellow Pavilion in Emirgan Park, one of the Ottoman mansions serving as a restaurant. Skyscrapers behind the park mark Istanbul's financial district.
My interest in tulips is not because the season is approaching, but because it is also my name in Turkish, Lale. Tulips grow best in areas that are cold in the winter and higher elevation, such as their homeland, the Central Asia. I hope this will be noticed by greater number of people soon so we can get to see tulips across central Turkey, which is cold in winter with higher elevation.
Emirgan Park is the place for newly engaged and wed as a photo op. This photo shows a newly engaged couple, she is wearing a typical dress popularly worn by more conservatives nowadays, hence her hair is covered.
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