The Tophane Pavilion was built by the British architect William James Smith in 1852, during the reign of Abdulmejid, to accommodate visitors arriving at the Tophane Pier by sea. The building served sultans during their inspection of the military facilities in Tophane, and was also used to welcome foreign state officials arriving at the city by sea. 

Located between Nusretiye Mosque and Tophane Fountain, the Tophane Pavilion still stands as an important touristic destination in Karaköy, Istanbul. The two-story masonry structure is 10 meters to 22 meters in size, and its layout is in parallel with the coastline.

The pavilion was a witness to several important events in its history. It is where the Sultan accepted Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich of Russia, younger brother of Tsar Alexander II, in 1858. The Greco-Turkish war of 1897 was also formally ended with a peace treaty signed in the Tophane Pavilion in the presence of ambassadors of the Great Powers.