Audio GuideDolmabahçe Palace

Set along the sparkling blue waters of the Bosphorus, Dolmabahçe Palace stands as one of Istanbul’s grandest monuments from the late Ottoman era. This palace has a story as dramatic as its appearance. Nearly two centuries ago, this ground was a sheltered bay where sailors anchored imperial ships, later transformed into a royal garden before becoming the striking palace you can visit today.

Ogtay Gozalov

In the mid-nineteenth century, Sultan Abdülmecid, a forward-looking ruler of the Ottoman Empire, ordered the construction of Dolmabahçe. He wanted a palace that would reflect European elegance and advanced technology, replacing the older, more traditional Topkapı Palace. Construction began in the early eighteen-forties and took over ten years, using enormous resources—including gold, marble, and fine woods. The Armenian Balyan family of architects was chosen for their expertise in blending East and West.

Yishai Sulami

This immense building stretches along the coast for about six hundred meters. Its design is remarkable: sweeping staircases, a vast ceremonial hall capped by a massive dome, and hundreds of rooms decorated with European Baroque, Rococo, and Neoclassical touches—yet woven with Turkish artistry. Gold leaf shines across ceilings, while crystal chandeliers from Bohemia and France dangle in almost every major room, the largest chandelier weighing several tons. Floors are covered with hand-woven Hereke carpets, and galleries display paintings and royal gifts from around the globe.

kyungsuk youn

Dolmabahçe did not just look modern—it housed modern comforts, too. Even before electricity, British gas lamps lit its halls, and innovative central heating kept guests warm. Moments of Turkish history unfolded here: sultans welcomed global leaders, ceremonies marked crucial political changes, and Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of the Turkish Republic, spent his final days in a simple room overlooking the sea.

Beyond the main building, visitors find gardens with fountains, elegant iron gates, a mosque, and even a nineteenth-century clock tower. The harem wing, once the private family quarters, the bustling kitchens, and Turkish-style bathhouses all reveal slices of palace life.

After the Ottoman Empire ended, Dolmabahçe became a symbol of a new era. Open to the public as a museum since the mid-nineteen-eighties, it now welcomes well over one million visitors every year. Inside, the palace’s blend of old-world glamour and new-world ambition lets you step into the layered history of Istanbul—where East and West truly meet.