As everyone knows, Beyoğlu is a rare district where diplomatic missions have established their palaces. One of these is the Palais de Hollande, the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which catches the eye of anyone passing through Istiklal Street.
Besides being a diplomatic mission, the Palais hosts various events, and this year, due to the 100th anniversary of the friendship treaty between Türkiye and the Netherlands, the number of events has nearly doubled. For our Consulate Chronicles series, Consul General Arjen Uijterlinde opened its doors to us.
The Netherlands and Türkiye have enjoyed over 410 years of diplomatic relations. It all began on March 14, 1612, when Dutch envoy Cornelis Haga established ties with the Ottoman Empire. Haga settled in what is now the Palais de Hollande, making it the oldest Dutch possession abroad. Remarkably, this palace predates the official recognition of the Dutch state by 36 years.
Originally a wooden structure, it burned down multiple times, such as during the big Istanbul fire of 1767, and was rebuilt afterward. Then there were significant renovations, most notably in 1859 by Italian architect Giovanni Barborini, who replaced the wood with stone. Following the establishment of the Republic of Türkiye by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the Palais remained the Dutch Embassy until 1946, when it became the Consulate General.
Two orange bicycles greet you at the entrance of the palace, making you feel almost as if you're in the Netherlands the moment you step through the door. As a fanatical cycler, Uijterlinde likes to make trips in and around Istanbul on his sports bicycle during the weekends. For this, of course, we took a tour of the palace garden with him before shooting our video.
It has been three years since the consul general began his role in Istanbul. Having visited Türkiye several times before, his first trip to Istanbul was in the mid-1980s. Therefore, he was thrilled to start his new role in this enchanting "City of Dreams" and felt immediately at home. Representing his country from the Palais de Hollande, the oldest and probably most impressive diplomatic representation abroad, he considers it an honor and a privilege. Before coming to Istanbul, he served in various positions both at home and overseas, with recent postings including ambassador in Baku, consul general in Rio de Janeiro, and ambassador for international cultural cooperation from The Hague.
He finds Türkiye to be a place where he feels very much at home, citing the friendly and hospitable nature of its people, who are always ready to help. Coming from a country bordering the sea, he feels particularly drawn to coastal cities. His room offers a view of the Bosporus and the Marmara Sea, and every morning he wakes up feeling happy.
The consul general's positive relationship with the city has, of course, made it easy for him to embrace Turkish culture.
For example, he is intrigued by the pride Turkish people have in their country and culture, their cherished traditions and their habit of sending presents for Bayram.
"In daily life, people are quite formal and behave respectfully, using the words "bey" ("mister") and "hanım" ("miss"). In the Turkish language, there are many expressions and degrees of respect and politeness," he said.
The first Turkish words he encountered were expressions like "yavaş yavaş” ("slowly") and “şöyle böyle" ("more or less"). He finds the word “sürdürülebilirlik” ("sustainability") challenging to pronounce but frequently used.
Regarding Turkish music, he finds it very rich and diverse, with influences from both the East and West. He follows many artists on Spotify, from traditional music and maqam to classical Turkish music and artists like Zeki Müren and Selda Bağcan. He also mentions Karsu, a Dutch singer of Turkish origin, who has become very popular in both countries and serves as a wonderful goodwill ambassador bridging two cultures. Uijterlinde highlighted Karsu, who will perform a friendship concert in Ankara on July 26, marking 100 years of Dutch-Turkish friendship.
Traditional Turkish dishes, which vary by region and season, have become some of his personal favorites. He enjoys Turkish breakfast ("kahvaltı") with "menemen" on weekends and delights in a wide range of mezes. He appreciates the good Turkish wines that accompany meals. Although he does not cook himself, he acknowledges the amazing chef at the Palais de Hollande.
His travels in Türkiye have taken him to various cities, each offering unique natural and cultural heritage. He has visited UNESCO World Heritage Sites and new museums such as the one in Troy. His journeys have included the Black Sea coast, with stops in Trabzon and Rize, and the southeast, where he visited Gaziantep, Urfa, Diyarbakır and Mardin. However, he spends most of his time exploring Istanbul, visiting churches, mosques, fortifications and neighborhoods like Balat, Kuzguncuk and Beykoz. He particularly enjoys cycling along the Bosporus.
Occasionally, he watches Turkish series. He watched “Bir Başkadır” ("Ethos") while preparing for his posting and “Kulüp” ("The Club") when he arrived in Istanbul. He finds “Kulüp” particularly fascinating as it is filmed in Beyoğlu, the very neighborhood where he lives, and depicts the historic multicultural layers of the city.
Uijterlinde encourages people to come with an open mind, slow down and take their time to discover the country. He emphasizes the importance of meeting Turkish people and looking beyond touristic highlights and holiday resorts. Istanbul, he believes, should be part of every visitor's journey, as it is likely to inspire them to return.
During our interview, Uijterlinde also highlighted a painting by Flemish painter Jean Baptiste Vanmour, a remake that underscores the historical relations between the two countries. Dutch envoy Cornelis Calkoen commissioned this painting to depict his meetings with Sultan Ahmed III in Topkapı Palace in 1727.
The Netherlands and Türkiye have a special symbolic relationship regarding the role of the tulip. During Ottoman times, the tulip was given as a gift to diplomats who visited the Ottoman court. Through this tradition, the tulip found its way from Türkiye to the Netherlands from the 16th century onward. Documents reveal that in 1593, the first tulip was planted in the Hortus Botanicus of Leiden University. From that year on, the tulip became part of Dutch culture.
Moreover, from the Hortus Botanicus of Leiden University, the tulip spread throughout the city. This region around Leiden and in the west of the Netherlands is called the "bollenstreek." This can be translated as the "bulbs region" because of the many tulips. From this region, tulips are exported to all parts of Europe. Hence, the exportation of tulips forms a big part of the national economy of the Netherlands today.
The tulip became so popular among elites in the Netherlands that there was "tulip mania" during the 17th century. At the time, there was a huge market for tulips, making it very lucrative for traders to invest in them. As a result, a stock market for tulips emerged, and at one point, the price of tulips equaled the price of a house along the canals in Amsterdam. This example illustrates the flower's immense popularity after its introduction to the Netherlands.
The original Istanbul Tulip is still cultivated in the Netherlands. On Dec. 3, 2021, there was a joint session during which Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu and Consul General Arjen Uijterlinde planted the bulbs of the original Istanbul tulip in Emirgan Park during the Istanbul Tulip Festival. Imamoğlu noted that these "cultural bridges will move the beautiful relations between our countries to a higher level." This sentiment is universally shared, as this shared heritage inspires communities to continue to work on the partnership between the Netherlands and Türkiye.
For this reason, the tulip was chosen as a symbol for the celebration of the hundred years of friendship treaty between the Netherlands and Türkiye. Thus, the bloom of the tulip continues to symbolize the flourishing relationship between the two countries.
Legends say that there is a ghost living within the building of the Palais de Hollande. This ghost is known as the "White Rose / witte roos," which can be translated into Turkish as "Beyaz Gül." The White Rose is the mistress of former Ambassador Cornelis Calkoen (1696-1764), who was the ambassador for Holland in the Ottoman Empire between 1727 and 1744. White Rose was probably from Montenegro, which was part of the Ottoman Empire. She lived with Cornelis Calkoen for years. However, this romance was interrupted when Calkoen left Istanbul – for his new post in Dresden. White Rose stayed behind and was heartbroken. According to the myth, she came to the gates of Palais de Hollande from time to time to see if Cornelis Calkoen was back.
Despite her persistence, Calkoen never returned. Eventually, White Rose died as a result of her grief. According to the myth, the ghost of White Rose is still living within the walls of the Palais de Hollande as she is waiting for the return of her former lover Cornelis Calkoen.
Interestingly, multiple predecessor consul generals, as well as employees from the personal staff, claim to have seen the ghost of White Rose in the Palais.
