Polonezkoy
Polonezkoy(Adampol)is a small village which is located on the
asian side of
Istanbul,in
Beykoz.Its green nature,is the attraction point of the village.
In 1772 Austria, Russia and Prussia have singed a treatment for sharing out Poland between each other. On the other side, Ottoman Empire have never accepted Poland's breaking down. With this friendly behavior of Ottomans, Ottoman lands have become a harbor for the Polish political emigrants. Especially the crew escaping from the 1831 War, 1848 Hungarian Riot, Crimean War and 1863 Riot have found a safe place with the Turkish protection.Polish Prince Adam Czartoryski who have settled in France during that period, have established the Polish Representative Office in
Istanbul at 1841. Michal Czajkowski (Chayka Pasha) was the first administrator of the Representative Office. In 1842, Prince Czartoryski have sent a letter to the Ottoman Government offering an establishment of Polish Colony to the wide land's of Lazarist Priests who have settled in
Istanbul. Lazarist Priests and Ottoman Goverment have accepted the offer and with the treatment signed on 3rd of March, 1842, Prince have hired the Lazarist Priest's lands of about 5.000.000 square meters to forever. This treatment corresponds the establishment of Polish Agriculture Colony at the Ottoman lands. In 19th of March, 1842, the village have taken the name of "Adampol" with a religious ceremony.
Agriculture and stock-breeding have always been made at Polonezkoy since its establishment. Labor for tourism have been started from the years of 1920s. Because during these years the non-muslims settled in
Istanbul were in wonder of Polish people's life style and visiting the village very often. Polonezkoy's reputation have spread out to
Istanbul very fastly with this interest. In 1935, the founder of Turkish Republic, ATATURK, have visited polonezkoy as well. He have talked with the polish and also a ball have been arranged for his majesty. It was a wonderful historical day.
The fast living life style and global change in the world since 1980 have changed Polonezkoy as well. Agriculture and stock-breeding have stopped. The lands have turned into construction sector. Some of them have been sold. Villas have been constructed to this places for holidays. Village's folks have contructed modern facilities for tourism. Today's Polonezkoy is completely a touristic village. Turkish Goverment have announced this lovely village as
Istanbul's first nature park and banned illegal construction. Polish Presidents Lech Welsa and Aleksander Kwasniewski have visited the village in 1994 and 1996. Besides this many Polish diplomats, ministers, officers of the army visits Polonezkoy in their visits of Turkey.
Polonezkoy today in Turkish land, have kept alive the Polish culture for more than 150 years. Although Adampols are faithful Turkish citizen, they also feel themselves real Polish people. They speak Polish between each other and carry their fathers' religious believes without any change. Poland lives at the buildings of the village, people's life style, spare times, wedding ceremonies at the same time.
Source: http://www.polonezkoy.com
