Polonezkoy History

After the uprising that started in Poland in 1831, many Polish politicians took refuge in France and the Ottoman Empire. Prince Adam Czartoryski was among those who took refuge in France. He was believing that Poland will regain its independence by fighting the Russians with the support of the Ottoman Empire.

For this reason, he sent the writer Michal Czarkowski to Istanbul in 1841 and established the Polish Representation. Michal Czarkowski became a Muslim and took the name Mehmet Sadık Pasha.

After the Crimean War, the Poles who entered the war alongside the Ottoman Empire under the leadership of Mehmet Sadık Pasha (Michal Czarkowski) were given permission to settle in Polonezköy lands by Sultan Abdülmecit.

This is how Polonezkoy was built...

In the village, Polish immigrants set up houses and gardens and start farming, faithful to their own culture. This area was bought by Prince Adam Czartoryski in 1881 and the village was first called Adampol, which means Adam's Field. Later, it is named Polonez Karyesi. The goverment issues a certificate of citizenship to the refugees living here in 1894, and in 1923 the village was named Polonezköy and an ethnic identity was given.

This charming village, which has been called the backyard of Istanbul since then, has become one of the favorite tourism towns of nature lovers with its close location to the city and its isolation.