Tulip Period

The Ottoman Tulip Period, from 1718 to 1730, was a time of relative peace when the Ottoman Empire began to orient itself toward the rest of the world. I coincided with a craze for tulips, which signified nobility and privilege among the Ottoman court and high society. The Tulip period brought a rebirth of Ottoman art and architecture, incorporating elements of Western European design. An example of Tulip Period architecture can be seen in the Fountain of Ahmet III in front of the outer gate of Topkapı Palace.