Among the female sultans of the Ottoman Empire, Esma Sultan stands out as one of the most significant figures, known not only for her political influence but also for the architectural works she commissioned. The daughter of Abdülhamid I and sister of Mahmud II, Esma Sultan witnessed a turbulent transitional period during which four different sultans—Mustafa III, Selim III, Mustafa IV, and Mahmud II—ascended the Ottoman throne. She was married to Kaptan-ı Derya Hüseyin Pasha, one of Selim III's admirals, and a palace was built for her on Divanyolu on the occasion of this marriage. What most distinctly set Esma Sultan apart from other sultans, however, was the fact that she was the only woman ever proposed as a candidate for the throne by the Janissaries. Following the abolition of the Janissary Corps by Mahmud II in 1826, Esma Sultan was placed under state supervision; the sultan wished for his sister to remain always by his side. During this period, numerous plots of land and properties were allocated to Esma Sultan, foremost among them the palace built on Divanyolu. Yet after Mahmud II's death, this palace was demolished, and in its place, the Tomb of Mahmud II—still visited today—was constructed. The structure most closely associated with Esma Sultan's name is her waterfront mansion (yalı) in Ortaköy, the jewel of the Bosphorus. Following the end of the sultanate, the building served for many years as a coal depot and carpentry workshop, surviving until 1975. That same year, however, a fire largely destroyed the historic mansion, leaving only its four walls standing. After the fire, the building, under the initiative of businessman Güneri Cıvalı, hosted television programs for many years, thus reviving its place in public memory. Today, the meticulously restored Esma Sultan Mansion serves as one of Istanbul's cultural heritage venues, hosting private receptions and wedding events. Beyond being merely a structure, the Esma Sultan Mansion stands as a silent yet powerful witness to a tumultuous era stretching from the Ottoman Empire to the Republic, to the political roles of female sultans, and to the ever-changing silhouette of the Bosphorus.