Gülhane Park used to be the exterior yard of Topkapi Palace during the Ottoman Period, encompassing rose gardens and a grove.
Gülhane was landscaped and transformed into a park in 1912 during the period of Cemil Topuzlu, former Mayor of Istanbul, and became public.
Its total area is around 163 decares. On the right side of the entrance lie the busts of former mayors.
A path of trees on both sides passes through the center of the park.
Right and left to this path, there are some resting places and a playground.
On the right side of the slope curling through the Bosphorus, there is the sculpture of Asik Veysel
and a little above at the end of the slope lies the Column of the Goths from the Romans.
Sarayburnu Park used to be in the main park, connected by a bridge over Sirkeci railway line.
The park was later separated from Gülhane with the coastal road (1958).
The Park was restorated by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality in 2003.
The Imperial Edict of Reorganization, which is the first concrete step of democratization in Turkish history,
was declared by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mustafa Resit Pasha on 3rd November 1839 during the period of Abdulmecid, in the Gülhane Park
and therefore it is also known as "Hatt-i Hümâyûn".
Sources: own visit and pictures at the site