Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul information and interesting facts

Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul is another fascinating monument in this beautiful and mysterious city. The palace is situated right on the shores of the Bosphorus, on the European side of the city. Unlike the previously described Topkapi Palace on our website, Dolmabahce Palace was built in a European style at the behest of the progressive and open-minded Sultan Abdulmejid I.

In today’s article, I will share the history of the palace and its unique residents. You will also find several tips to help you organize your trip and later explore this famous landmark. Additionally, the article includes plenty of interesting information and facts related to the palace.

But first, let’s start with some practical information and advice based on the experience we gained during weeks of wandering through Istanbul.

Dolmabahce Palace — practical information to help you when visiting

Before entering the palace, you will be subjected to a control similar to that at an airport. So remember to take with you relatively small luggage without unnecessary and potentially dangerous items. If necessary, you can rent a place in the storage room and leave there less convenient suitcases.

Dolmabahce Palace is located in a popular district of Istanbul called Besiktas, on the European side of the city, at the address: Visnezade Mh., 34357 Besiktas. Thanks to its location, it is effortless to reach from any part of Istanbul. Personally, I recommend using the metro, as trains avoid traffic jams, which can significantly slow down travel in Istanbul. The nearest metro station to the palace is Kabatas, just a few minutes’ walk away. If you choose to travel by bus (lines 22, 22B, 30D, DT1, D31, BSK1, and BSK2), you should get off at the Dolmabahce Palace or Mimar Sinan stop, with the former being right by the palace. There’s also a tram (line T1) that goes close to the palace, which we personally used the most. Keep in mind that Istanbul’s metro operates from 6:00 AM to midnight, while bus lines run from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM. You can also take advantage of the city’s numerous and relatively affordable taxis, but be sure to agree on the fare with the driver in advance. To navigate the city more easily, consider using the Istanbul Tourist Pass. This card allows you to visit over 100 attractions throughout the city, provides discounts on public transportation tickets, and even offers access to the Internet via an eSIM card. I always use it whenever I visit Istanbul.

As always when visiting such popular places as the Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul, I recommend buying tickets online in advance. This will help you avoid the long lines at the ticket office, and also pay less than you would pay right at the entrance if there is a good promotion. I also recommend thinking about combining tickets with other attractions, which will save you time and money.

The tour takes about two hours and is quite an adventure, especially since the Dolmabahce Palace is architecturally different from any other in Istanbul. At times, I felt like I was walking through the corridors of Versailles or the Louvre Palace, not the administrative center of the Ottoman Empire in former Constantinople. If you like to get lost in the nooks and crannies of the attractions you visit, two hours is definitely not enough. We spent more than three hours in the palace, and it still felt like we were rushing through it.

Dolmabahce Palace is open to visitors from Tuesday to Sunday, and is closed on Monday. You can start your tour from 9:00, and the last entry is at 17:30. I do not recommend starting your tour after 16:00 because the entire staff is already thinking about the end of their busy day and more or less firmly force visitors to hurry.

If you have a choice, don’t go to the palace on the weekend, especially in the middle of the day. The crowds are so large then that the monument loses a lot of its charm. I recommend visiting on a weekday, apart from Monday, when the palace is closed. If possible, try to start your tour early, and there will be a good chance that you will take nice photos in the palace gardens without the crowds of tourists in the background.

Finally, I will mention that we visited the Dolmabahce Palace with a guide and when we come back, we will take him with us. Thanks to the knowledge and experience of such a person, you will be able to learn many interesting facts that you will not find in official tourist guides. I highly recommend the option of a tour with a guide, it is really worth it, of course, make sure in advance that you join the right language group.

Unfortunately, taking pictures inside the palace and harem is prohibited, unlike the areas around the monument, here you can take pictures as much as you want, although I advise you to pay attention to the signs and exercise basic caution. Remember that Muslim women do not like to be photographed. Breaking the rules can cause you unnecessary trouble.

At the entrance, you can rent an electronic guide, which you return when you leave the palace. Remember, however, that for the duration of your gadget use, you must leave one of your identity documents with the guard. This could be, for example, a driving licence or passport, but I would be afraid to let the latter slip out of my hands, after all, you can’t leave Turkey without a passport.

Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul and its history

The idea to build the palace came from Sultan Abdulmejid I, the 31st ruler of the empire. Previously, the sultan, his family, and close entourage lived, like his predecessors, in Topkapi Palace, which had ultimately become outdated and lacked the comforts the sultan had admired during his travels in Europe.

Abdulmejid decided to construct a new residence that could rival the world’s most beautiful palaces. To achieve this, he ordered the demolition of the ruins of the Besiktas Sahil Palace standing on the shores of the Bosphorus and commissioned a modern building inspired by the Louvre in Paris. The project was entrusted to the most prominent architects of the time. Initially, the cost of construction was estimated at three million gold liras, but the final expenses exceeded five million. This amounted to over 35 tons of gold (calculated at today’s rates, the cost of the palace would be nearly $2 billion).

The enormous costs, coupled with the sultan’s focus on building the palace while neglecting other responsibilities, led to a rapid deterioration of the financial and political situation of the Ottoman Empire. Many historians believe this marked the beginning of the decline of the great power.

The palace was home to six subsequent sultans. It ceased to serve as a royal residence in 1924 with the abolition of the caliphate and the establishment of the Turkish Republic. The last resident of Dolmabahce was Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the first president of the Republic of Turkey. Today, the palace is maintained by the Directorate of National Palaces and stands as one of Istanbul’s main attractions.

Dolmabahce Palace tour of the famous landmark

Visiting Dolmabahce Palace is, in my opinion, a grand adventure and an incredible pleasure. This monument is entirely distinct from other palaces, not only in Istanbul but also in other Turkish cities. Unlike traditional Ottoman structures, Dolmabahce Palace is adorned with gold, silver, and crystal, following the style of European palaces.

Despite its resemblance to landmarks found in European cities, the palace incorporates many typical Ottoman and Islamic elements. The building is divided into sections, the most notable being the southern wing, known as the Selamlık (a space reserved exclusively for men), and the northern wing, which houses the Harem, the private living quarters of the sultan and his family. These two zones are separated by the magnificent Ceremonial Hall.

Below, I’ll list just a few highlights that, in my view, deserve special attention during your visit. It’s impossible to describe all the hundreds of rooms in the palace, and I won’t attempt to do so. However, if you believe any specific feature of the palace merits a separate description, please let us know why, and we’ll gladly add it to our article!

Ceremonial Hall at Dolmabahce Palace

The Ceremonial Hall left the greatest impression on me. It covers an area of over 2,000 square meters and is crowned by a dome that rises 36 meters high. This hall, also known as the Throne Room, is where the sultan received official guests while seated on an impressive throne.

The room is vast and richly decorated. The walls and ceiling feature stunning frescoes, complemented by sculptures and decorations crafted from precious marble. The enormous dome is supported by marble columns, and the floors are adorned with handwoven carpets. Hanging in this hall is the world’s largest crystal chandelier, weighing an incredible 4.5 tons.

The entire space is a perfectly balanced fusion of European opulence and Ottoman comfort. It’s so captivating that we walked around its ornate walls several times, to the point where one of the guards started following us, likely anticipating some trouble!

The Red Room at Dolmabahce Palace

Another room that I remember particularly well is the Red Room. Its name, as you can imagine, comes from the dominant colour in the room. Interesting elements of the interior are artefacts from all over the Ottoman Empire, which makes this room a small museum.

In addition, the room contains precious furniture, crystal chandeliers, maps and a giant fireplace. It almost broke my heart that I couldn’t take a proper photo of this extraordinary interior.

The Blue Hall at Dolmabahce Palace

The Blue Room is located in the heart of the harem, a place that served the sultan and his closest family. As the name suggests, this room is decorated in shades of blue, visible in the decorations, blue marble and numerous paintings. It was here that the ruler met with family members and concubines. In the nooks and crannies of the room you can see valuable exhibits and works of art, as well as intricate frescoes, on which stories from the history of the Empire are painted.

The Pink Room at Dolmabahce Palace

The Pink Room in the palace is a special room. It was here that the sultan’s mother received candidates for future harem residents and met with the highest-ranking women in the house. That is why the official name of the room is the Queen Mother’s Reception Room. The most interesting element of the room is a gigantic carpet, literally taking up the entire space. This carpet was woven by the best Ottoman weavers and is made in one piece without joints.

Zulvecheyn Hall in Dolmebahce Palace

The Zulvecheyn Hall, also known as the Hall of Two Swords, was the boundary between the official part of the palace and the harem and the sultan’s private quarters. Various religious ceremonies were held here, and it was also here that the sultan first welcomed new residents of the harem.

The hall offers a beautiful view of the Bosphorus and I must complain again how bad it was for me because I could not take the pictures I would have liked. The frescoes and paintings on the walls and ceiling of the hall are also very intriguing, they tell fascinating stories and events that took place in the Empire.

The Secretaries’ Room at Dolmabahce Palace

It is a very intriguing room because it is entirely made in the French style, from the decorations and paintings on the walls to the French furniture and carpets. One of the paintings shows a fire in the Paris Municipal Theatre, and the others also refer to the events in Paris, which shows how impressed Sultan Abdulmeciada I was with the French capital.

Library in Dolmabahce Palace

The Dolmabahce Palace has a beautiful library, and since I like such rooms, it was difficult to drag me out of it. It has a giant collection of books, documents, and maps from the Ottoman era and the early republic. The high shelves are filled with thousands of volumes in various languages. I noticed Turkish, Arabic, Persian, French and English texts, and this is only a fragment of the collection. The pleasant atmosphere in the interior of this room is created by wooden panelling, stained-glass and stylish furniture. Interestingly, the collection can be browsed, at least part of it, you just have to report it to the palace authorities in advance.

Dolmabahce Palace and its gates

At Dolmabahce Palace, you can admire not only the stunning interiors, but also other attractions spread across its vast grounds. Notably, there are eight gates leading to the palace, three of which open directly onto the waters of the Bosphorus. In the past, some guests arrived at the estate by boat, which I imagine must have made quite an impression.

In my opinion, the most beautiful gate is Saltanat Kapisi, also known as the Sultan’s Gate. It leads from the city into the heart of the magnificent gardens, offering a perfect view of the palace in all its grandeur. The gate is adorned with intricately carved floral motifs and illuminated by equally exquisite lanterns. At its centre, you’ll find the tughra, a calligraphic monogram of the sultan, symbolizing his authority and prestige.

Other notable gates include the Treasure Gate (Hazine-i Hassa Kapisi) and the three gates opening onto the Bosphorus. Each gate at the palace has its story and is tied to unique historical events. For this reason, I highly recommend taking a guided tour with a knowledgeable guide who can share the fascinating history behind each one.

Harem at Dolmabahce Palace

Many, myself included at one time, consider the harem to be a place of debauchery, where the sultan exploited his power over the women confined there. In reality, however, it was the private home of the sultan and his family. The ruler lived there with his mother, wife, and children. The word harem means a private, secluded place, inaccessible to others. While indulgence was indeed part of its nature, it pales in comparison to the excesses of today’s celebrities—just think of rapper P. Diddy. Compared to his parties, any sultan would blush like a nun in an adult cinema.

Interestingly, Sultan Abdulmejid was the first Ottoman ruler to allow his women to appear in public. They were permitted to go into the city, visit bazaars, and shop—albeit under supervision.

Dolmabahce Palace and its beautiful gardens

The gardens of the Dolmabahce Palace are beautiful and carefully maintained. They are full of tropical and precious flowers, shrubs and precisely trimmed trees. In addition, there are dozens of sculptures, fountains, and water features scattered throughout the grounds. In fact, just walking around the palace is a great pleasure and an interesting experience.

Other elements and interesting places in the palace

The palace itself is not the only attraction of this place. Apart from the main building, you can see such wonders as the Dolmabahce Clock Tower, the quarters of the court residents, the bedrooms of the servants and guards, the quarters of the chief eunuch. There are also palace kitchens, stables, mill, workshops, foundries, and a pharmacy. As I said, plan more time than the guidebooks recommend.

I really liked the palace, and I’m sure you won’t be disappointed either. The only downside is the ban on taking photos inside. I don’t quite understand such difficulties, especially since you can easily find photos of literally every place in the monument on the internet.

Polish version