Dolmabahce Palace is an expansive and historic building that served as the main administrative building of the Ottoman Empire during its last years. Today, you'll find a museum and historic site that you can tour to learn all about the building itself and the fascinating artefacts it holds. A guided tour of the building makes your visit as easy as possible while also offering a wealth of information you wouldn't get in a self-guided visit.
If you're even remotely interested in the area's history or impressive architecture, you won't want to miss out on a visit to Dolmabahce Palace. Kids and adults alike can find fun with the exhibits and tour here, as it has something for everyone to enjoy. It takes about 2 or 3 hours for a complete tour of this massive palace complex, though you're free to take longer if you like.
Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul - one of the highlights of 12 Best Things to Do in Istanbul and 10 Best Historic Things to See in Istanbul (Read all about Istanbul here)
What are the highlights of Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul?
One of the most important highlights of Dolmabahce Palace is the design of the building itself. It's the largest palace in Turkey, encompassing nearly 45,000 square metres of space that contains nearly 300 rooms. While you can't visit all the rooms, a fair number are open for visitors to explore. The sheer size of it all is reflected in the decor as well, as it sports regal, sophisticated tiling and detailing among its floors and walls. The ceilings alone used 14 tonnes of gold.
When you visit Dolmabahce Palace, you'll find both the Harem and Selamlik available to explore. The former is the quarters for the women who resided in the palace, while the latter is the ceremonial quarters. Both come with an audio tour you can take at your own pace, and that's included in the initial ticket price of the palace.
A brief history of Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul
Dolmabahce Palace is younger than a lot of the other iconic structures in the city, having been built in the mid-19th century on orders of Abdulmecid I. It was specifically designed to be more modern in styling and design, as the sultan felt Topkapi Palace, the historic home of the sultans, was outdated compared to its European contemporaries.
Dolmabahce Palace was the last administrative centre of the Ottoman Empire and was used from the mid-19th century all the way to the abolition of the Caliphate that happened in 1924. Even after the Turkish Republic was established, the first president lived here for some time. For nearly a century, however, this building has been predominantly used as a historical site and museum in an effort to preserve the history of the Ottoman Empire.
What else is good to know about Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul?
Before you make your way to Dolmabahce Palace, you'll need to keep a few things in mind. On Mondays the palace is closed, so you'll want to plan your visit around that. Additionally, you'll find that the Kabatas district tram stop is the closest public transport spot to the palace. From that stop, it only takes about 10 minutes to get to the palace on foot.
Dolmabahce Palace is conveniently located next to several other iconic spots that you won't want to miss out on. The Dolmabahce Mosque is just a short distance to the west, while the picturesque Yildiz Park is located just to the north-east past central Besiktas. The iconic Galata Tower is just over 2 miles away to the south-west.
Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul
Location: Vişnezade, Dolmabahçe Cd., 34357 Beşiktaş/İstanbul, Türkiye
Open: Tuesday–Sunday from 9 am to 4 pm (closed on Mondays)
Phone: +90 212 236 9000
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