Dolmabahce Palace (Dolmabahçe Sarayı) in Istanbul. Mosque and Clock Museum
Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul is an amazing complex that adorns the magnificent Bosphorus Strait. This beautiful example of a building shows tourists what a palace should look like. Everything in it and around the building is elegant and lives up to its name. In Turkish, the word "dolmabahce" means "filled garden". In fact, this palace is replete with oriental luxury and European wealth.
The first question tourists have when they are in Istanbul is: how to get to Dolmabahce Palace? The practice of travelers who have been on excursions shows that this is not difficult to do. The T1 high-speed tram goes towards the palace. Its final stop is called "Kabatash". From here the road leads to the mosque, which cannot be missed. Further you can see the gates of the palace. Some people prefer to travel by ferry, arriving at the Kabatash pier.
There is another option to get to Dolmabahce Palace. There is a funicular from which there is also a stop "Kabatas". That is, it is clear for tourists that regardless of the chosen route, the end point is the Kabatash stop or pier.
History of the palace
The bay area, which was used by the navy during Ahmed's reign, was turned into a garden. The Besiktas Palace was built on this territory. Due to frequent fires, it had a dilapidated appearance.
Two centuries later, the site of the destroyed Besiktas was chosen by the 31st Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Abdulmecid, for the construction of a large palace complex. His plans included moving the government out of Topkapi Palace, which had been the imperial residence for four centuries. Abdul-Mecid's brother Abdulaziz became the second ruler to live in this palace. Sultan Abdul Hamid II left him and ruled the Ottoman Empire from Yildiz Palace.
The imperial family returned to Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul during the reign of Mehmed V (1909-1918). It was from here that the last Ottoman sultan was exiled to Paris. This event was preceded by the abolition of the sultanate in 1921 by the Turkish National Assembly. Caliph Abdul-Mejit Efendi remained in the palace until the caliphate was abolished in 1924. Some of his own paintings still adorn the walls of the monumental structure today.
The monumental crystal staircase in the center is called the imperial staircase. It connects the second floor. The staircase is made in the Baroque style and was designed by Nigogos Balyan. Luxuriously decorated, it also reflects the traditional Ottoman style. Baccarat crystals were used in its design. The symmetrical and elegant design of the halls surrounding the staircase will take your breath away.
Hall of Ambassadors
The most luxurious room of the palace is the Sufer Hall. It is also called ambassadorial. It and the associated Red Room were formerly used for international meetings with ambassadors and foreign diplomats. This room is designed and decorated symmetrically.
The hall contains the second largest chandelier of the Dolmabahce Palace. Museums in the world don’t even know examples of such luxury. Its high doors, mirrors and fireplaces are in perfect harmony with the delicately decorated ceilings. The Ambassadors' Hall and the small rooms around it were used to receive and entertain foreign guests.
The floor is covered with Hereke carpet and its area is 120 m2. The Red Room was used by the sultans to receive ambassadors. The room was named after the dominant shade of the curtains, which is also the color of power. Gold jewelry and red furniture with yellow tints along with the table in the center create a very powerful effect. There were no walls built in the room. It was artfully decorated with a real view of Istanbul. Columns hidden behind curtains are connected by large windows overlooking the Bosphorus.
Harem
The residence, consisting of luxury rooms, covers almost two-thirds of the entire Dolmabahce Palace - Harem. The photo below shows the Blue Hall. In the eastern part of the L-shaped Harem on the embankment lived the private retinues of the Sultan, his mother (Walid Sultan) and his family (Harem-i-Hummain). In the apartments on the street there were “favorites” and concubines. According to the architectural plan, this part of the palace is made in the neo-Baroque style. It is decorated with European and traditional Turkish patterns. The harem does not stand in a separate place, but is connected to Selamlik by a long corridor. The interiors of this building are significantly inferior in luxury to the views of Selamlik.
The most interesting parts of the Harem are the Blue Hall (Mavi Salon) and the Pink Hall (Pembe Salon). Also attracting the attention of tourists are the apartments of the Sultan, Sultan Abdulaziz, Sultan Mehmed Reshad and Ataturk. The Blue Room is named after the color of the furniture and curtains. During religious events, the sultans allowed celebrations within these walls for residents of the Harem and other palace employees. The Pink Hall is also named after the shade of the walls. Its windows overlook the Bosphorus. Therefore, it is considered one of the best halls in the palace. The mother received guests there several times. Ataturk also used this hall for introductions and conversations.
The Beylerbey Summer Palace is worth seeing when in Istanbul. This residence was commissioned by the Ottoman Sultan Abdulaziz. Beylerbey is a delightful, opulent, imperial residence with a fountain in the main salon. The building contains luxurious rooms decorated with Czech crystal chandeliers and the Palace was often used as a guest house for visiting royal and royal families.
Mosque and Clock Museum
The imperial mosque built by the Sultan is located in the southern part of the Dolmabahce Palace complex in Istanbul. The photo below is a view from the Bosphorus.
Construction was carried out between 1853 and 1855 by the architect Nigogos Balyan. The decoration of the building belongs to the Baroque style. The mosque was used as a naval museum between 1948 and 1962. After restoration in 1966, it was opened to visitors. The structure of the mosque underwent a comprehensive restoration in 2007.
The Dolmabahce Clock Museum will also be of interest to tourists. It is located in the old Inner Treasury building in the harem garden. It presents a selection of exclusive handmade jewelry belonging to the National Watch Collection. After eight years of extensive renovation and maintenance, the museum reopened to the public in 2010. Today, 71 watches are displayed within its walls. At the exhibition you can also see unusual artistic works by masters of the Ottoman Empire.
Ataturk's room
The last person to live and die in Dolmabahce Palace in 1938 was Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Atatürk's room, where he died, was used by the sultans as a bedroom in winter. This room has been preserved in its original form. It is decorated with Ataturk's favorite furniture, paintings and clocks. The simplicity of his room is quite remarkable. He chose the most ordinary room, compared with the more luxurious mansions of the palace.
Visitors may notice that all clocks inside the palace are set to the same time of 9:05. It was at nine o'clock and five minutes that Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who is also the founder of the Turkish Republic, died. To be more precise, he died on November 10, 1938. This date is familiar to all citizens of Turkey.
Name " Dolmabahce” was given to the palace due to the fact that even before the construction of the palace this place was a bay, which in the 17th century was filled with earth and a beautiful garden was built. And later, a wooden pavilion (summer palace) was built on this territory, which became the predecessor Dolmabahce(“dolma” means “filled, poured”, and “bakhche” means garden).
History of the palace Dolmabahce
The current building of the palace was built in 1842 - 1853 by order of Sultan Abdulmecid I. The main architect who designed this palace was Karabet Balyan from the then famous Balyan family of architects of Armenian origin. Castle was built during the period of “Europeanization” or “Westernization” of the Ottoman Empire. This period is called Tanzimat (from 1839 to 1876) and, unlike previous reforms, the main place in Tanzimat was occupied not by military, but by socio-economic transformations. These reforms were most clearly reflected in architecture. Ottoman architecture came under the influence of excessive Western decoration. Baroque, Rococo, Empire and other styles mixed with Ottoman art.
Dolmabahce is a symbol of the heyday and at the same time the decline of the Ottoman Empire
After the construction of the palace in 1853, the entire court headed by the Sultan moved from to the new castle. And after the fall of the monarchy and the proclamation of the Turkish Republic (October 29, 1923), Mustafa Kemal Ataturk also lived in the palace for some time; here he died on November 10, 1938 at 09.05, which is why all the clocks in the palace are stopped and show 09.05. Castle is a two-story and partly three-story rectangular building located on an area of 250,000 square meters. It has 285 rooms and 43 halls, one of which is a very large banquet hall (Ceremonial Hall or Muayede Salon) and is used to this day for government-level interviews and negotiations. The palace is divided into two parts: the front part (Selyamlyk - marked on the plan in pink) in color and the personal part of the Sultan and his family (Harem - indicated on the plan in red).
Palace Plan
Designations of objects on the plan
Bezm-i-Alem Valide Sultan Mosque
Mosque(also known as Bezm-i-Alem Valide Sultan) is located 50 meters southwest of main entrance of the palace. Construction of the mosque began in 1853, immediately after the completion of the palace. The mosque was built by order of Sultan Abdulmecid's mother, Bezmialem Valide Sultan, but unfortunately, she died very soon and the mosque was completed by her son in 1855. The architect of the palace mosque, as well as during the construction of the palace, was Karapet Balyan. The mosque is part of the palace complex, therefore its architecture and design are in the same style - it was built in the Baroque style and decorated in the Empire style.
Museum opening hours:
Every day, except Mondays and Thursdays from 9.00 to 16.00.
Admission:
- All parts of the palace - 40 liras.
- Only Selamlyk (the front part of the palace) – 30 liras.
- Only (Harem + Glass Pavilion + Clock Museum) – 20 liras
You can visit the palace only as part of a group accompanied by a palace guide. Therefore, if you came to the palace on your own, you may have to wait until the group is gathered.
It is forbidden to take photographs and shoot videos inside the palace (only with special permission, for an additional fee), photography is only allowed in the garden.
Photo of the Palace Dolmabahce
The main entrance of the palace and the Swan Fountain. The facade of the palace from the sea.
The swan fountain of the palace is the main decoration of the park. One of the 6 hammams of the palace, made of onyx
The Dolmabahce Mosque was created in the mid-19th century. It, like behind the painted facades of any of the mosques of ancient Istanbul, hides amazing stories, legends and facts. However, few of them are as magnificent and as luxurious as this Baroque mosque. It is located on the banks of the Bosphorus on the southern side of the most European of the city's palace complexes, Dolmabahce, and is also known as the Bezmialem Valide Sultan Mosque - the Sultan's mother, for whom it was built.
This mosque is still active today. You can visit it during daylight hours (during prayers the mosque is closed to visitors).
Story
The construction of the Dolmabahçe palace temple began in 1853 at the behest of Mahmud II’s wife, Bemialem Valide Sultan. It was led by Karapet Amira Balyan, famous in the Ottoman Empire, an architect of Armenian origin who created the old Yildiz Palace, several Armenian churches, the buildings of the Military Academy, the Academy of Fine Arts and the Ortakoy Mosque. His two sons, Sarkis and Nikogos, helped him in his work. After the death of her mother, her son, Sultan Abdulmecid I, insisted on continuing construction. By 1855, the mosque opened its doors to the Sultan, members of his family and court parishioners.
After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the Dolmabahce Mosque gradually began to fall into disrepair. From 1956 to 1960, the collection of the naval museum was exhibited there, and only in 1967 religious services began to be held here again. In 2009, the temple was completely restored to all its original glory.
Architecture and decoration
The area of the mosque, a square-shaped building, is 625 sq.m. Forming part of a huge palace complex, it is compatible in style with other buildings in Dolmabahce, such as residential buildings intended for employees. The main architectural design of the Dolmabahce Mosque is Baroque, but it is richly decorated with elements of luxury and another classical style - Empire. The prayer niche, mihrab, as well as the pulpit, mimbar, are carved from red porphyry - a noble rock used to decorate the imperial palaces of Ancient Rome and the residence of Queen Cleopatra.
The splendor of Dolmabahce Mosque (video)
A magnificent precious chandelier hangs under the dome of the mosque, but it is not the only thing that attracts the attention of tourists. On both sides of the building rise two high, 40-meter minarets with balconies. They say that they were once even thinner. Chasing beauty and uniqueness, the architect Nikogos made them so graceful that they collapsed, unable to support their own weight. The main decoration that distinguishes Dolmabahce from other Istanbul temples is the arched windows located in a circle and reminiscent of a peacock’s tail. Such an unusual architectural solution, filling prayer halls with sunlight, had not been used before in the construction of temples.
The mosque is adjacent to balconies where members of the Sultan's family spent time, and a courtyard - an ideal place for walking, full of benches, paths and pretty fountains.
Dolmabahce Palace
The palace, of which the Dolmabahce Mosque is a part, is distinguished by its non-standard architecture for the East. This Sultan's residence, located in the Besiktas district, is rather reminiscent of the most luxurious of the royal houses of Europe. The construction of the Dolmabahce complex, which lasted 13 years, took 5 million gold pounds, and more than 40 tons of silver and 14 tons of gold were spent on decorating the interior. The palace houses a priceless collection of works by Aivazovsky and a precious crystal chandelier weighing more than 4 tons, presented to the ruler of the East by the Queen of Great Britain. During the existence of the Ottoman Empire, Dolmabahce was the residence of six sultans, and in the 20th century, after the founding of the Turkish Republic, it was turned into a summer government residence. The last moments of the life of the great Mustafa Kemal Ataturk took place within its walls. On November 10, 1938, at 9:50 a.m., his breathing stopped, and along with it, all the clocks in the area froze.
For a long time, the complex was used as a museum, and is now the official residence of the Prime Minister of Turkey in Istanbul. Its two main parts - the luxurious Selamlik, the chambers where official government affairs are conducted and high-ranking guests are received, and the cozy Harem, the residence of members of the Sultan's family and the kingdom of the ruler's mother, Valide Sultan, are open to tourists. Excursions around them, as well as a visit to the library, mosque, clock tower (showing not only time, but also pressure and air temperature), Beiberley summer palace, garden pavilions, mansions and a park with fountains will take the whole day. You can also visit the Dolmabahce Clock Museum and the museum, where palace works of art are collected, and factories for the production of silk, carpets and imperial porcelain. Cafes and souvenir shops are open to guests of the complex.
How to get to Dolmabahce Mosque
Dolmabahce Mosque is located at Visnezade Mh., 34357 Besiktas/Istanbul and is located on the very shore of the Bosphorus Strait. Its coordinates for searching on a navigator are 41°2’12″N 28°59’42″E.
To get to the mosque, you don’t have to delve into the intricate infrastructure of huge Istanbul. You can take the signature Istanbul tram T1 and, having arrived from Aksaray or Sultanahmet to the Kabatash station, walk a few minutes along the coast.
If you are coming by ferry, get off at Kabatas or Besiktas piers and walk towards the clock tower.
You can go down from Taksim Square to Kabatas using the funicular, marked on the metro map as F1.
Taxi
If it is more convenient for you to travel around Istanbul by taxi than to study the public transport map, ask the staff of any hotel or cafe to call you a car, or contact the drivers at organized taxi stands, which are available in all tourist places. The fare, as in the rest of Turkey, is calculated by meter.
Transport hub Kabatash (Dolmabahce Mosque visible in the distance) - Google Maps panorama
Dolmabahce Palace is located in Istanbul, in one of the most picturesque areas of the city - Besiktas. This area in the European part of the city offers magnificent views of the Bosphorus, the Bosphorus Bridge, and the gardens of Beyoğlu. The history of Dolmabahce Palace dates back to the mid-19th century, because it was built by order of Sultan Abdulmecid I, who ordered the construction of a new residence in the Baroque style, which would be grander and more monumental than the best European palaces of that time. Before this, for many years (since the 15th century), the residence of the Turkish sultans was Topkapi Palace - the greatest medieval complex in Istanbul, which today is one of the most famous museums in the world. We will prepare a separate article about it.
Dolmabahce Palace was built in just 13 years (construction began in 1843 and ended in 1856). Construction cost the Turkish treasury 5 million pounds in gold, and another 14 tons of pure gold and 40 tons of silver were spent on decorating the interiors of the palace. Over the course of several years, the palace complex grew to 45 thousand square meters.
Dolmabahce Palace became home to 6 Turkish sultans (from 1856 to 1924). The last ruler whose residence was the Dolmabahce Palace was Caliph Abdulmecid Efendi. By special decree of March 3, 1924, the palace was transferred to the department of the Turkish Republic as a national heritage site. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder and first president of the Turkish Republic, used the palace as a summer residence and a venue for special events. It was in the Dolmabahce Palace that Atatürk spent the last days of his life and died in his room on November 10, 1938. By the way, sometimes tourists are puzzled by the fact that all the clocks in the palace show the same time - 09:05 in the morning. The answer lies in the fact that it was at this time that Mustafa Kemal died in the palace.
From then until September 2007, Dolmabahce Palace was a museum, when the Turkish parliament returned it to its intended palace status. Since 2007, Dolmabahce Palace has been the official residence of the Prime Minister of Turkey in Istanbul.
Dolmabahce Palace is the largest palace in Turkey. The complex, located on a huge area of 45,000 square meters, has 285 rooms, 46 halls, 6 baths (hamam) and 68 toilet rooms. The architecture of the palace combines elements of Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassical styles, mixed with traditional Ottoman architecture to create a unique style. The interior decoration of the palace demonstrates the growing influence of European styles and Tanzimat era art in Turkey at that time.
Traditionally, a tour of Dolmabahce Palace consists of 2 parts. The first is Selamlik - part of the public chambers in the palace, adapted for receiving guests and holding official events. The word Selamlik means “place of greeting” in Turkish. Traditionally, Selamlik is the chambers of the man, the owner of the house. The second is the Harem - that part of the Turkish house (or residence) where servants, children and women live. The word “harem” translated from Arabic (haram) means “forbidden”, “inviolable”. Entrance to each of the two parts of the palace is paid separately. Entrance to Selamlik costs 30 TL, to Harem - 20 TL. Those wishing to visit both parts can use a single ticket, which costs 40 TL.
A tour of Dolmabahce Palace takes a lot of time, so for those who have limited time, we advise you to visit only Selamlik, which is more interesting and large-scale, and leave the harem for another time. The palace has 3 main entrances - 2 from the city side, another one for those arriving by ship from the Bosphorus side, and in total there are 12 gates in the complex. Ticket offices are located on the Kabatas side - at the end of the palace complex near the tram stop. The Saltanat Kapisi (Sultan's Gate) is located here. Even before entering the palace grounds, you can admire the flower clock and the magnificent entrance lobby, which was previously used only by sultans and ministers. Every Tuesday afternoon in the summer, the Mehter Ensemble, a traditional Ottoman military band, performs here and on other days gives concerts at the Atatürk War Museum on Cumhuriyet Caddesi.
The second entrance is located in the center of the palace (entrance from the avenue) a little further from the Swan Fountain - the Hazine-i Hassa Kapısı gate (treasure gate). Here you can spend a little time and watch the parade of the honor guard, which takes place every hour.
On the territory of the complex there is the Dolmabahce Mosque, which was founded by order of Valide Sultan in 1853, and after her death was completed by her son Sultan Abdulmecid. The height of the mosque's minarets is over 40 meters.
In front of the Sultan's Gate of the palace there is another landmark of Istanbul - the Dolmabahçe Clock Tower (Dolmabahçe Saat Kulesi). Construction of the tower was ordered by Sultan Abdulhamid II and completed in 1895. The tower is made in the New Baroque style. Its height is 27 meters.
Tours of Dolmabahce Palace take place every 25 minutes, but you will not find a Russian group here. The guides work either in English or Turkish, and the tour itself runs at a very fast pace, so those who like to stroll leisurely and enjoy the beauty are better off taking a personal guide or walking on their own.
Please note that Dolmabahce Palace has a daily visitor quota of no more than 3,000 people. All palaces and pavilions are closed on Mondays and Thursdays. Dolmabahce Palace is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., but ticket offices close after the daily allotment of tickets has been sold. Let us remind you that the cost of a visit to Selamlik is 30 TL, to Harem is 20 TL, and a subscription to visit both parts of the palace is 40 TL.
SELAMLIK
Selamlik is the male half of the palace, which is also called Mabeyn-i Humayun (Mabeyn-i Humayun). Here the sultans of the Ottoman Empire were engaged in matters of national importance.
The first hall you enter is called Medhal (medhal - entrance). Here they will tell you about the history of the palace and provide statistical data. Under the ceiling you will see an amazingly beautiful chandelier and 60 branches. Historically, visitors to this hall were greeted by the palace's chief of protocol and escorted to an audience.
The tour then proceeds through the secretariat room, the lobby and the exhibition hall with a magnificent collection of crystal, porcelain and precious metals. Then you will find yourself in a small palace mosque and go out into the hall to the Crystal Staircase, along which you will go up to the second floor.
There you will find probably the most luxurious hall of the palace - the Sufer Hall (embassy hall), where ambassadors of foreign states awaited a meeting with the Sultan, and the nearby Kyrmyzy salon (red hall) was used for important negotiations. In the center of the hall lie a huge Iranian carpet with an area of almost 90 square meters, a pair of bear skins, one of which was donated by Tsar Nicholas II, and the second was bought by the Sultan for symmetry. A two-ton chandelier hangs from the ceiling. The Sultan's chambers are located in this part of the palace. After this, you will be taken to the ceremonial hall of the Muaed Salon (formal hall). Here the Sultan received heads of state, held official ceremonies and special events. Up to 2,500 people could be in this hall at the same time. The dome of the hall is supported by 56 columns, and the largest and heaviest chandelier in the world hangs from the ceiling - a gift from Queen Victoria.
In some rooms of the palace hang originals by the famous artist Aivazovsky, commissioned by Sultan Abdul-Aziz. For 40 paintings with images of the Bosphorus, the artist received the highest award of the empire - the Order of Osman with Diamonds. It is interesting that a few years after this, as a sign of protest against the massacre carried out by the Sultan in 1894-1896, Aivazovsky threw this order into the sea.
The architecture of the Dolmabahce Palace turned out to be unique also because for the first time in the history of the Ottoman Empire, the harem premises were in the same building with the male half of the palace. The interiors of the harem, of course, are inferior to the interiors of the selamlik in luxury. It was here that the personal life of the monarch’s family took place. The harem contains many rooms of the Sultan, chambers of wives, concubines, heirs and mother, as well as the Pink Hall (Pembe Salonu), where the inhabitants of the harem gathered, as well as Mavi Salonu - the place where Valide Sultan received the wives and favorites of her son on religious holidays. Often tourists' attention is drawn to the bedroom of Sultan Abdul-Aziz, his custom-made bed (the Sultan was obese and weighed more than 150 kilograms), as well as the offices and premises in which Mustafa Kemal Atatürk worked.
HOW TO GET THERE
Getting to Dolmabahce Palace will not be difficult even for those who are not familiar with Istanbul’s infrastructure. To get to the palace from the areas of Sultanahmet, Aksaray, Lyaleli, Zeytinburnu and the areas of Eminonu, Sirkeci and Karakoy, it is enough to take the T1 high-speed tram to the Kabatas station. Next, you need to walk (following the direction of the tram) for 5-10 minutes along the shore of the Bosphorus and get to the Sultan’s Gate of the palace.
To get to the palace from the “upper” part of the city (Taksim Square and the surrounding area, Sisli, Beyoglu), you need to take the funicular from Taksim Square to Kabatas station and from there follow the above route to the palace. You can also get to the palace from the piers of Kabatas (the same route), as well as Besiktas (you need to walk towards Kabatas).
From Ortakoy Mosque and the Bosphorus Bridge you can take passing buses (which go to Taksim and Besiktas), as well as numerous dolmus and taxis. The taxi fare will be 10-15 TL.
HOW IT WORKS AND HOW MUCH IT COSTS
Dolmabahce Palace is open every day except Monday and Thursday from 9 am to 4 pm. Please note that the palace has an attendance limit of 3,000 people per day. After selling this number of tickets, the box office closes. The cost of a ticket to Selamlik is 30 TL, to Harem - 20 TL. A subscription to visit both exhibitions costs 40 TL.
