Audio GuideBeylerbeyi Palace
Beylerbeyi Sarayı
This 19th-century palace with gardens was once a summer residence for Ottoman sultans.
Museum
Istanbul, Türkiye
On the Asian shore of Istanbul, right by the Bosphorus, you will find Beylerbeyi Palace, an impressive summer residence built for the Ottoman sultans. Before this elegant structure was completed in the mid-eighteen-sixties, a wooden palace stood on the same spot. After a fire left it in ruins, Sultan Abdülaziz ordered that it be replaced. The architect, Sarkis Balyan, combined classical Ottoman design with elements of Renaissance and Baroque architecture, creating a palace that feels both bright and refined, with a distinct European touch.
But Beylerbeyi was more than just a royal retreat. When the weather warmed, the sultans would leave their winter palaces for the cooler air at Beylerbeyi. The palace served as a place to receive distinguished guests from abroad. In the past, it welcomed figures such as Empress Eugénie of France and members of the Iranian royal family, and later, notable visitors from across the globe. There is a story that Empress Eugénie was so taken with one of the guest room windows that she had it copied for her own bedroom in Paris.
Inside, the traditional separation of the Selamlik, for men, and the Harem, for women, reflected Ottoman customs of privacy and social life. The palace contains more than twenty rooms and several splendid halls. The floors are covered with soft Hereke carpets and reed matting imported from Egypt, helping to keep the interiors cool and dry. French crystal chandeliers, fine porcelain from Asia and Europe, and intricately carved woodwork reflect the diverse tastes of Ottoman high society.
At the heart of the palace is a sunlit hall featuring a marble fountain and pool, where the sound of water brings a sense of tranquillity and helps to alleviate the heat. The gardens outside once boasted rare trees and sweeping lawns. Although the grounds are smaller now and the Bosphorus Bridge stands nearby, the palace has not lost its unique charm. Over the years, it has witnessed great change, including a period when Sultan Abdülhamid was kept under house arrest there in the early twentieth century. Now, as a museum, Beylerbeyi Palace invites visitors to explore its grand rooms and gardens, offering a glimpse into a world where Ottoman grandeur and hospitality once flourished on the banks of the Bosphorus.
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