Miniature Bird Palaces From The Ottoman Era Showcasing Incredible Architecture
Custom bird palace design is, indeed, nothing you see every day. Centuries ago, the people of Ottoman Turkey excelled in this unusual kind of architecture which displayed their compassionate approach regarding animals.
The bird mini-palaces can be clearly seen adhering to the buildings’ facades in many Turkish cities, embellishing them. The houses, that were designed as mini replicas of the original palaces, offered airstrips to accommodate aviation, as well as water basins for drinking. Some served as shelters, others acted as bird hospitals to tend to them in sickness, while others were designated as food reservoirs that supplied the aviating comrades with the needed nutrition during the severe Turkish winter.
Dubbed as “kuş köşkü” (bird pavilions) and “serçe saray” (sparrow palace), the meticulous structures were made between the 15th and 19th century with many of them comprising several floors with terraces. A few of these historic houses still stand up to this day with the oldest one from the 16th century residing by the Büyükçekmece Bridge in Istanbul.
Emily Reyes is a Brooklyn-based architecture writer and Article Curator at Arch2O, known for her sharp eye for experimental design and critical theory. A graduate of the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc), Emily’s early work explored speculative urbanism and the boundaries between digital form and physical space. After a few years in Los Angeles working with boutique studios on concept-driven installations, she pivoted toward editorial work, drawn by the need to contextualize and critique the fast-evolving architectural discourse. At Arch2O, she curates articles that dissect emerging technologies, post-anthropocentric design, and contemporary spatial politics. Emily also lectures occasionally and contributes essays to independent design journals across North America.