The first purpose-built Embassy – known in those days as a  “Palace”, like all major foreign Embassies – was built in the Pera district of Istanbul at the start of the 19th century. This first building, which was lost to fire in 1831, resembled the Scottish country house of the then ambassador, Lord Elgin.

Today’s building in the Anglo-Italian style follows William James Smith’s plans of the 1840s. Noted architect Sir Charles Barry is believed to have worked on the designs too at the same time that he was designing the Houses of Parliament.  His influence can be seen in Pera House’s resemblance to the Reform Club in London, which he also designed.

After a fire in the upper floors of Pera in May 2000, restoration work began.  Works were nine weeks from completion when terrorists attacked the compound in November 2003, tragically killing 16 people,10 of whom were staff, including the Consul-General Mr Roger Short, and badly damaging the building inside and out.

Restoration work continued, and Pera House was officially re-opened on 25 October 2004 by HRH The Prince of Wales. The Consulate-General moved back to Pera House,  carrying on with its primary tasks of promoting trade and investment and providing visa and consular services in Turkey.  

The restoration team, worked hard to retain as much as possible the original features of Pera House, while equipping it to deal with the challenges of a busy 21st century diplomatic post.  To note a few examples:

• a full seismic survey and retro-fit. Situated in an earthquake zone, and having suffered a bomb attack, British and Turkish experts carried out a full seismic survey.  This has led to the building being reinforced in vulnerable areas, i.e. the ballroom conference space and the joints between walls and floors.
  
• security wall, landscaping and windows. A new perimeter wall has been built to the latest specifications; there is a comprehensive landscaping plan (with planting) for the site; and the new windows are blast resistant.
  
• the glazed roof on Palm Court. Originally glass, the new roof over Pera House’s central courtyard is made of “plastic pillows”, specially designed by a UK company who did the Eden Project in Cornwall and the HM Treasury building on Horse Guard’s Parade.
  
• chandeliers. Pera House has retained its 19 th century chandeliers on the grand stair and in the ballroom. Queen Victoria is said to have sent four chandeliers to the Russian court as a gift but, en route through the Bosphorus, the Crimean War broke out and the chandeliers stayed in Istanbul. The Embassy kept three, and the fourth, arguably the most impressive, was given to the Sultan as a gift.  It now hangs in Dolmabahce Palace on the shores of the Bosphorus.