From Ottoman Istanbul to Dutch mania: the surprising history of tulips

Tulips are most often associated with Holland: you picture flower fields, splashy festivals, and exports worth billions. Yet few realize the journey of this famous bloom didn’t start in Europe at all. The decisive role was played by Turkey — more precisely, the Ottoman Empire with Istanbul as its capital.

From the Mountains to the Palaces

Tulips hail from the wild mountain regions of Central Asia and Iran. Later they arrived in the Ottoman Empire, where they won over sultans and the elite. Palace gardens bloomed with beds of tulips; the flower appeared in drawings, on textiles, and on ceramics. It was more than a pretty plant — in those settings, it became part of identity.

When Turkey Fell in Love with Tulips

In the first half of the 18th century, the Ottoman Empire entered a distinct period historians call the Tulip Era — a time of festivities, gardens, and art. Especially in Istanbul, tulips came to symbolize wealth and refinement. People hosted evening gatherings in blooming parks, artists wove floral motifs into their work, and admiration for tulips spilled onto the streets. The era ended with a change of power, but its memory lingered — it’s hard to miss how completely the city embraced the flower.

How Tulips Reached Europe

European diplomats and travelers were the first to hear about tulips after visiting the court of the Ottoman sultan. One of them, the Austrian envoy Ogier de Busbecq, described the unusual flowers and took bulbs home. That is how tulips began their journey across Europe.

The Netherlands fell for them most of all. In the 17th century, people bought and sold bulbs for astonishing sums — at times the price of a house. The tulip craze was short-lived, but it left a mark; ever since, tulips have been part of Dutch culture, a detail that still surprises when you think about it.

And Turkey Remembers

Even though the world links tulips with Holland, Turkey hasn’t forgotten its flower. Every April, Istanbul holds a tulip festival, planting millions of blooms across the city. It’s both a celebration and a reminder: long before Europe, tulips mattered here.

Turkish tulips often differ in shape — slimmer, more pointed. Those are the forms seen on historic tiles, textiles, and carpets.

A Flower Without Borders

The history of tulips shows how a single, striking flower can connect cultures. It first won hearts in Turkey, then in Europe, and today it’s cherished around the world.

Sometimes a simple bloom tells us plenty about the past. The tulip is not just a garden ornament — it’s a living thread in history. And if you want to feel a touch of Istanbul’s atmosphere, you don’t even have to go there; watching its spring tulips — even in photos — does the trick.