Unspecified/General

The Dolmabahce Palace marks the moment when the Ottoman sultans abandoned the medieval seclusion of Topkapi for the grandeur of a European-style royal residence on the shore of the Bosphorus. Built in the mid-nineteenth century for Sultan Abdulmecid I and completed in 1856, it stretches for nearly six hundred metres along the water in the Besiktas district, its white marble facade and ornamental gates presenting one of the most opulent waterfronts in the city. Inside, the palace is a lavish blend of Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassical styles, lit by enormous chandeliers, hung with imported paintings and floored with hand-knotted carpets; the great Ceremonial Hall is crowned by a chandelier of some four and a half tonnes, said to be among the largest in the world, a gift from Queen Victoria. The palace served as the administrative heart of the empire in its final decades and later as a residence for the founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who died here in 1938; the clocks in his rooms are traditionally stopped at the moment of his passing, and the room he used is preserved as a place of quiet pilgrimage. Visitors tour the state apartments, the harem and the collections of clocks, glass and art in guided groups, and the formal gardens, fountains and the gates opening onto the strait add to the sense of imperial display. Reached easily by tram, bus or ferry along the European shore, with tickets often sold for separate sections of the complex, Dolmabahce offers a vivid contrast to the older Ottoman world of Topkapi and a window onto the empire's late embrace of Western fashion. Photography is restricted indoors, and arriving early helps avoid the longer queues. The palace gave its name to the surrounding district, which has grown into one of the city's liveliest quarters, and the waterfront promenade outside the gates is a popular place to walk and to photograph the facade from the shore. Beyond the main building, the grounds include a clock tower, a mosque and other structures that formed part of the imperial complex, and the collection of historic timepieces is among the finest of its kind. Because the palace can only be seen on a guided route and visitor numbers are managed, queues build at busy times and arriving early or booking ahead is wise. As the last great palace of a declining empire and the place where modern Turkey's founder spent his final days, Dolmabahce carries a double significance, and it remains one of the most visited and photographed monuments on the European shore of the Bosphorus.

Type: Tourist Attraction

Address: Dolmabahce Cd., Istanbul, Turkey

Website: https://www.millisaraylar.gov.tr

Opening Date: 01/01/1856