Dolmabahçe Palace, located on the
European shore of the Bosphorus,
became the new official residence of the
sultans in 1856. The artificial site of
the palace whose name means the filled
gardens, was obtained by filling a small
bay of the Bosphorus where a summer palace,
destroyed by a fire, had been previously
built. Influenced by Western civilization,
sultan Abdülmecit,
between 1844 and 1853, had this very eclectic
palace built by the architect Garabet Balyan
who combined baroque and Turkish renaissance
styles. The palace is a three-storied building
284 m / 932 ft long. The 285 rooms, the
harem, the 46 lounges (and 6 hammams)
are heavily furnished and decorated in rococo
style. Marble and alabaster, bronze, gold,
silver, Baccarat and Bohemian crystals,
silk, porcelain have been used in abundance.
14 tons of gold and 40 tons of silver were
used for the decoration of the palace. Later,
it became the presidential residence where
Atatürk died
on November 10, 1938 at 9.05 am (all the
clocks of the palace are set at this historical
time).
The
Clock Tower, located between Dolmabahçe
Mosque and the palace, is 27 m / 88.5 ft
high and was built by Serkis Balyan in 1890
during Sultan Abdülhamit's
reign.
Visitors are admitted in groups led by the
museum's guides.
(Open 09.00 - 16.00. Closed on Mondays and
Thursdays).
The annex buildings of the palace were used
as the crown princes residence. Today they
house the Turkish
Painting and Sculpture Museum. The entrance
is in Beşiktaş, close to the Navy Museum. Map 3, D 2
Ibrahim Pasha Palace : this palace was built for
İbrahim Pasha who was Süleyman
the Magnificent's favourite and Grand Vizier
for thirteen years. He was also married to the
sultan's sister. Fallen into disgrace, he was
executed in 1536. The palace was the largest
private residence ever built of stone, when
Ottoman houses were built of wood. It is one
of the most important examples of the 16th century
Ottoman civil architecture.
It has been used by other grand viziers, and
later had functions such as barracks, embassy
palace, register office, Janissary
band house, sewing workshop and prison.
The palace has been restored and since 1983,
the big ceremony hall holds the Turkish and
Islamic Arts Museum transferred from the
İmaret buildings (the Soup Kitchen) in the Süleymaniye
complex.
Besides the Hand Writings and Calligraphy, Wooden
Works, Stone Art, Metal Art, and Ethnography
sections, the museum holds the richest old carpet
collection and displays rare Seljuk
carpets, prayer rugs and animal figured carpets
belonging to the 15th centuries, the carpets
with geometrical figures or kufi writing which
were produced in Anatolia between the 15th -
17th centuries and which are known as "Holbein
Carpets" in the West, because they were
seen very often in the paintings of European
artists.
The Palace stands on the side of the Hippodrome,
opposite the Blue
Mosque.
(Open
09.00 - 17.00. Closed on Mondays) Map 2, E 3
OTHER PALACES
Çırağan, which is located on the side of the Bosphorus,
was damaged by a fire. It has been restored and transformed
into a deluxe hotel. Map 3, C 3
Beylerbeyi (1868) was a summer palace. Located
on the Asian side at the foot of the first Bosphorus
Bridge (Atatürk), it is in the same style as Dolmabahçe.
(closed on mondays and thursdays).
Hidiv Kasrı and its park, is located on the Asian
side at Beykoz.
Yıldız with its varied pavilions and its park Map 3, B/C 3
Maslak Kasri is located at Maslak.
Küçüksu is a small summer palace located much
further on the Asian side of the Bosphorus. (cannot
be visited)
Ahmet III Fountain (Sultan Ahmet Çeşmesi) built
in 1728 and the most beautiful of its kind,
is located at the entrance of Topkapı Palace.
The projecting roof is topped with five small
domes, and the monument is decorated with
beautiful tiles and fine inscriptions. Map 2, E 3
Emperor
Wilhem II Fountain (Alman Çeşmesi,
the German Fountain) was offered by Kaiser
Wilhem II to Sultan Abdülhamit
to mark his second visit to the Ottoman capital
in 1898 and to commemorate the alliance of
German and Ottoman powers. Brought from Germany,
the fountain was placed at the north side
of the Hippodrome,
where the Kathisma (the Imperial Loge) was
situated, and it was inaugurated in January
1901. The fountain, made of marble, has an
octogonal shape and the interior of its dome
is covered with mosaics. Map
2, E 3
OTTOMAN HOUSES
In the Soğukçeşme street (Soğukçeşme sokağı)
located between Haghia Sophia and Topkapı
Palace, a group of nine charming wooden houses
from the 19th century can be seen. They have
been transformed into a hotel.
Many other beautiful Ottoman houses can be
found everywhere in old İstanbul and on the
heights and banks (yalı) of the Bosphorus.
