Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul
Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul can be considered as one of the most beautiful historical monuments of this big and old city, this palace dates back to the Ottoman period. The green and beautiful garden of this historical palace is considered one of the most beautiful attractions in the European part of Istanbul, most of the tourists who travel to this city must visit it to take a souvenir photo and see this beautiful palace up close.
Dolmabahce Palace is the largest palace in Turkey, left over from the reign of the Ottoman Dynasty. This beautiful palace is located on the eastern bank of the Bosphorus Strait. The luxurious Dolmabahce Palace was the residence of 6 Ottoman Sultans and Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, died in one of the rooms of this palace.
By walking in this beautiful palace and watching the eye-catching architecture of the palace, where the most beautiful carpets and chandeliers are used in its interior design, you can clearly see the works of modern European architecture. Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul is a photographer’s paradise, visiting this magnificent and beautiful palace is on the itinerary of most of those who come to Istanbul. If you want, you can join our Dolmabahce Palace Tour in Istanbul. In the following, we are going to introduce you to Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul.
Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul was built in what year and by whose order?
The magnificent and luxurious Palace of Dolmabahce was built during the reign of Sultan Abdulmecit. It took about ten years to build this palace. Dolmabahce Palace is located in Istanbul along the Bosphorus coast. This building is considered one of the most fascinating historical places in the world that has managed to preserve its original decor, furniture, carpets and silk curtains.
Most of the tourists who have traveled to Istanbul, when visiting Dolmabahce Palace is amazed by its eye-catching beauty. This magnificent palace of the Ottoman period, which has witnessed many historical events such as the death of Atatürk, has become one of the most visited palace museums in the world today and contains many historical works.
Visiting this huge and luxurious palace museum may take a few hours of your time on your trip to Istanbul, but it’s definitely worth the time. The architecture of this palace has a more European style compared to other palaces in Turkey, such as Topkapi Palace, and its design is more inspired by European architectural elements.
Where is Dolmabahce Palace located?
Dolmabahce Palace is located in the Besiktas district of Istanbul, this beautiful palace is located on the eastern bank of the Bosphorus and next to the Kabatas port. Besiktas region is one of the tourist centers of Istanbul and many tourist attractions such as Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul have welcomed European tourists. Tourists can reach this beautiful and old palace in the city of Istanbul by various means of public transportation such as subway, bus, taxi, etc.
Most of the tourists stay in hotels in the Sultanahmet area of Istanbul, and for this reason, they can easily reach the Besiktas area quickly and at the lowest cost by using the Bagcilar-Kabatas Tram route. After getting off the tram at the last stop, you will reach Dolmabahce Palace by walking for ten minutes. You can also take a taxi or other public transportation to reach Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul at a higher cost.
- time of visit:
Visiting Dolmabahce Palace: 9:00 to 17:00
Visiting Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (The palace is closed on Monday.)
Why did they name this Palace Dolmabahce?
The name of this palace is formed from two Turkish words “dolma” which means filled or filled and the word “Bahce” which means garden, the reason for naming this palace is rooted in the history of the city of Istanbul. The current location of Dolmabahce Palace was obtained by filling a small bay in the Bosphorus Strait. This small bay was a natural harbor where the traditional seafaring ceremony and celebration of the conquest of Istanbul were held in the 17th century.
This place later became a popular resort among the Ottoman Sultans, Sultan Ahmet I and Sultan Osman II built many pavilions and gardens to spend their leisure time in this area. Later, Sultan Abdulmecit I decided to build Dolmabahce Palace in the style of luxurious European palaces due to the beautiful landscape of this area.
History of Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul
The construction of this palace began in 1842 by the order of Sultan Abdulmecit I, the 31st Ottoman Sultan, and was completed about 11 years later, i.e. in 1853. Before the construction of Dolmabahce Palace, the Ottoman Sultans lived in Topkapi Palace, which is located between the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara in Istanbul, for about 400 years.
However, due to Sultan Abdulmecit I’s interest in European architecture and the developments of that era, Dolmabahce Palace was built in a new style in Besiktas. Haji Saeed Agha was responsible for the construction of Dolmabahce Palace and Garabet Balyan, his son Nigoğayos Balyan and Evanis Kalfa were responsible for the design of this project. Sultan Abdulmecit I moved to this palace with his family in 1856, three years after the completion of Dolmabahce Palace, and became the center of the Ottoman government.
This palace has witnessed many historical events, the last of which dates back to the death of Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey. Mustafa Kemal Pasha Atatürk used this palace as the presidential residence in the summers and finally died in one of the rooms of this palace.
Architecture of Dolmabahce Palace
The Sultans of the Ottoman Empire lived in palaces with their families and close relatives, servants and guards. This beautiful and magnificent palace, which is considered an artistic masterpiece, has three floors, 285 rooms, 44 halls, Turkish bath and 68 toilets. The design of this palace is a combination of baroque, neoclassical and rococo architecture with traditional Ottoman architecture.
Bricks are used in the interior design of this building and white marble stones are used in its facade, the floor of the palace is made of wood. The infrastructure of this historical palace is about 45 thousand square meters, the palace has two separate entrances to the courtyard. Although the design of the palace is inspired by European palaces, functionally elements of traditional Ottoman life can be clearly seen in Dolmabahce Palace.
Different parts of Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul
Visitors to this palace, in addition to its interior, can also visit the exterior of the palace, which has a green garden. Buildings such as Clock Tower and Dolmabahce Mosque can be seen in the palace area.
If you enter the three-story palace building from the green entrance area of Dolmabahce Palace, the first floor of the palace is called “”Mabeyni Hümayun” or “Selamlık “. In the past, this part of the palace was the place for administrative affairs and women did not have the right to enter it. In the interior architecture of this part of the palace, luxury furniture, hand-woven carpets, beautiful fireplaces and crystal chandeliers are used, which are very eye-catching.
This part of the palace consists of four main halls, the most important of which are “Muayede Hall”, “Secretary Room”, “Ambassador Hall” and “Red Room”. To go to the second floor of the palace, you have to go through the crystal staircase. The reason for this name is the crystal chandelier that is installed in this staircase, and crystal is also used in the railings of the staircase.
Other important parts of this three-story palace include, “Blue Hall”, “Pink Hall”, “Atatürk Room”, “Library” and “Ceremonial Hall”. Ceremonial Hall, known as the tallest and most luxurious hall of Dolmabahce Palace, is located between the two parts of Selamlik and Harem.
Fascinating and incredible facts about Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul
- During the construction of this palace, about 14 tons of gold were used in the roof of the palace.
- In almost all parts of the palace, hand-woven silk carpets woven in Hereke, Turkey have been used. There are 131 beds of hand-woven carpets in the palace.
- The crystal chandelier installed in the ceremonial hall of the palace with 750 lamps and weighing 4.5 tons is the largest bohemian chandelier in the world.
- Atatürk, the first president of Turkey, lived in the simplest room of the palace and died in the same room.
Visiting hours and ticket prices of Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul
Dolmabahce Palace welcomes visitors 6 days of the week from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, this palace is closed only on Mondays. Due to the size and age of the palace, it is better to ask the leaders who are there to guide you when visiting the palace. This palace is also closed on some days of the year that have special occasions in Turkey.
Please note that the ticket office of the palace closes one hour before it closes. The ticket price of this palace to visit all its parts is 450 Turkish lira, if you want to visit the harem part (the residence of the sultan and members of the dynasty) you have to pay another 150 lira separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dolmabahce Palace is located in which part of Istanbul?
Dolmabahce is like a luxurious symbol of all the beauties of Turkey, located on the European shore of the Bosphorus Strait. This palace is located in Besiktas district and is one of the most important sights of this popular area in Istanbul.
Dolmabahce Palace was built by whose order and at what time?
This magnificent and beautiful palace was built by the Ottoman Sultan, Sultan Abdulmecit I. The construction of this palace began in 1842 and was completed about 11 years later, i.e. in 1853. King Abdul Majid I moved to this palace from Topkapi Palace in 1856 with his family.
What are the visiting hours and ticket prices of Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul?
Dolmabahce Palace is open every day except Monday from 9 am to 5 pm, the cost of visiting this palace is 450 liras, and if you want to visit the harem part, you have to pay another 150 liras.
How many main parts does Dolmabahce Palace have?
The beautiful palace of Dolmabahce in Istanbul is formed from three main parts: harem, ceremonial hall and administrative part.
Conclusion
Dolmabahce Palace attracts tourists like a shining gem in the city of Istanbul, Turkey. The visitors of this palace are amazed to see all this splendor and beauty together. This palace, built in the style of European palaces, is inspired by the combination of modern European architecture and traditional Ottoman architecture. Dolmabahce Palace is more than 200 years old and 6 Ottoman kings sat on the throne in it. This beautiful and old palace was the place where the first president of Turkey, Atatürk, lived and died.
We suggest you to include a visit to this beautiful palace in your itinerary during your trip to Istanbul.
As Manolya Travel Agency, we have several tours such as Istanbul Private Tour Guide, Istanbul Old City Tour and Turkish Night Show Cruise.
We have also Dolmabahce Palace & Two Continents Tour, Bosphorus Cruise Arabic Night Show, Bosphorus Tour by Boat & Sunset Cruise Istanbul.
If you want to do more adventurous tour, we have also Antalya Tour, Pamukkale Tour, Ephesus Tours, Troy Tour and Green Bursa Tour.
