Until 1912, Gülhane Park was an imperial park, yet it was opened to the public in 1912. Since 1912, it serves as an urban park with its hundreds years old walnut and oak trees. Do not miss this magnificent park surrounded with the most important museums and monuments of Istanbul.

Karsu came to prominence after perfomances at the Carnegie Hall in New York and several appearances on the Dutch television. In 2010 Karsu’s first album, a live registration, "Live aan ‘t IJ" was released. In October 2012, her first studio album "Confession" followed, which was received positively by the press. On "Colors" from 2015 her compositions are more poppy, playful and cheerful than her previous work. The title of the album refers to Karsu’s bicultural background, with roots in Turkey and Amsterdam. In 2016 the Edison Foundation awarded Karsu with the Edison Audience Award for her work on "Colors".

The church was designed by the Armenian architect Trdat Mendet (also known as Manuel), who also built the cathedral in nearby Ani and helped repair Hagia Sophia's dome when it collapsed after an earthquake.

The Church of the Holy Cross was the seat of an Armenian patriarch from 1116 to 1895, after which it was abandoned due to conflict between Armenia and the Ottoman Empire. The building fell into disrepair and was neglected throughout the 20th century.