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Çırağan Palace, located on the European shore of the Bosporus in Istanbul, was built between 1863 and 1867 by Sultan Abdulaziz. Designed by architect Nigoğayos Balyan and his sons, it was the last palace built by an Ottoman sultan. The structure features wooden interiors, marble exteriors, and a bridge linking it to Yıldız Palace.
After Sultan Abdulaziz’s death, his nephew Sultan Murad V lived there under house arrest until 1904. The palace briefly hosted the Ottoman Parliament in 1909 but was largely destroyed by fire in 1910, leaving only its outer walls.
In 1987, the ruins were restored and transformed into a luxury Kempinski hotel, opening in the early 1990s. Renovated again in 2007, the palace now serves as an upscale hotel and event venue, blending historical charm with modern luxury.
References:The ancient Argos Theater was built in 320 BC. and is located in Argos, Greece against Larissa Hill. Nearby from this site is Agora, Roman Odeon, and the Baths of Argos. The theater is one of the largest architectural developments in Greece and was renovated in ca 120 AD.
The Hellenistic theater at Argos is cut into the hillside of the Larisa, with 90 steps up a steep incline, forming a narrow rectilinear cavea. Among the largest theaters in Greece, it held about 20,000 spectators and is divided by two landings into three horizontal sections. Staircases further divide the cavea into four cunei, corresponding to the tribes of Argos A high wall was erected to prevent unauthorized access into the theatron and may have helped the acoustics, but it is said the sound quality is still very good today.
Around 120 CE, both theaters were renovated in the Roman style.