Dolmabahce, the Sultan’s favorite
residence, used to be a cove that sheltered anchored ships. It carries the
memories of many centuries, located right next to the clear waters of the
spectacular Bosphorus.
It was one of the administrative palaces
during the Ottoman Empire after the 19th century. The palace’s location was a
place that had been used as a settlement since early times, and was constantly
transformed. Over the ages, its functions included the royal garden, pavilion
and port. During the Byzantine period, a palace called Aya Mamas was built at
this location. It was a strategic and popular place where states and monarchs
enjoyed its location, function and natural beauty. The Besiktas coast and its
immediate surroundings continued to attract the same attention during the
Ottoman period. The construction of Dolmabahce Palace began on June 13, 1843.
In 1856, Sultan Abdulmecid definitively left Topkapi Palace and settled in
Dolmabahce Palace.
The main structures of Dolmabahce Palace
are the Harem, the Mabeyn-i Humayun (Imperial Men’s Section), the Clock Tower
and Dolmabahçe Mosque. The balustrades of the Mabeyn stairs are breathtakingly
decorated with crystals, and the four-ton crystal chandelier located in the
Throne Hall in Mabeyn adds a European air to the Hall with seven hundred and
fifty light bulbs dangling from the 36-meter dome. The Harem has different
sections such as the Blue Hall, where ceremonies are held; the Pink Hall, where
women are entertained; the rooms where Atatürk stayed, and the Valide Sultan
(Sultan Mother) rooms. The thirty-meter-high clock tower at the entrance to the
palace is said to have been completed in 1895. The Dolmabahce Mosque next to
the palace was completed in 1853 by Nikogos Balyan of the prominent Balyan
family, an Armenian family of court architects who designed many masterpieces
of Ottoman architecture. At the back of Dolmabahce Palace is a small mansion
built in the 19th century for the Sultan's birds. Many birds of different
species were housed in the structure at that time. Dolmabahçe Palace, which has
been converted into a museum today, is connected to the Department of National
Palaces.
Selamlık + Harem + Painting Museum Ticket (Valid for a
week): 450 TL
[Combine Ticket I] National Palaces Full Pass; Dolmabahçe
Palace+ Palace Kiosk And Pavilions Of Asian Side + Palace Kiosk And Pavilions
Of European Side (Except Topkapi Palace And Küçüksu Pavilion Picnic Area): 600
TL
[Combine Ticket II] Dolmabahçe Palace + Palace Kiosk And
Pavilions Of The European Side: 520 TL
[Combine Ticket III] Palace Kiosk And Pavilions Of Asian
Side Combined Ticket (Except Küçüksu Pavilion Picnic Area): 520 TL
