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ITEM VIEW: CG165951
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Grand Rue de Pére
Constantinople ( nowadays Istanbul), Turkey
Type: Other
Status: Open
Open: 1882
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| The Cercle d'Orient (Büyük Kulüp - Great Club) was founded in Péra, the old name for a district of Constantinople (now Istanbul). In 1882, British ambassador Sir Alfred Sandison joined 30 diplomats and businessmen to establish the Cercle, initially focused on social objectives. Later, in 1884, its name was changed to the Association Cercle d'Orient.
During the nineteenth century, it was considered the most elegant club in the city. While mostly admitting foreigners and Christians as members, a select few prominent Ottoman figures (Pashas) were also granted entry. Located in a magnificent building on the Grande Rue de Péra, the Cercle served as a central hub for news and gambling. The imposing structure was designed by imperial architect Alexander Vallaury specifically for the Cercle d'Orient, a club for foreign diplomats. It featured meeting rooms, a ballroom, luxurious apartments, and rental shops overlooking the Grande Rue.
Unfortunately, foreign clubs in Constantinople often became centers of espionage, where nations plotted against each other and the Ottoman Empire. In the 1940s, the Turkish government requisitioned the Circle d'Orient, and it remained abandoned for many years.
Today, the club still exists in the Kadikoy district, focusing on social and cultural activities. However, membership remains restricted. |
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CG165951
Added: 2016-07-06
Last Update: 2016-07-06
Contributed by: Carlos Pascoal
from "The Gourmet´s Guide of Europe, Nathaniel Newnhan-Davis, 1908"
" There are two clubs in Pera.. and the Cercle d´Orient in the Grande Rue.The Cercle d´Orient is the club of the Ambassadors and the Great Ones of the Land"
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