The biggest palace in Turkey and one of the biggest in the world, that bankrupted an empire. Dolmabahçe Palace is one of Istanbul’s top tourist attractions thanks to its exquisite craftsmanship, waterfront setting, and the glimpse it offers into Turkey’s illustrious Ottoman and Republican past… a past that saw the rise and fall of six Ottoman sultans, the passing of Turkey’s founding father Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and the world’s biggest chandelier, all presented in sumptuous style and 100 kilograms of pure gold to keep things classy. As well as a huge portion of history, lush gardens, Bosporus views, a classical art museum, and a central location in Istanbul’s bustling Besiktaş neighborhood means that a trip to Dolmabahçe is basically a must for anyone visiting Istanbul.
Please watch the rest of our video! Let us know what you think, if there is anywhere else you want us to cover, and if you need help planning a trip or move to Turkey, let us know in the comments.
HISTORY OF DOLMABAHÇE
After four centuries of the Ottoman Emperors running the show from the Topkapı Palace, Sultan Abdülmecid I longed for a more modern, European-style palace on the shores of the Bosphorus. He set his sights on a collection of royal gardens and pavilions, collectively known as Beşiktaş Waterfront Palace, but unofficially called Dolmabahçe, or “filled garden” because of the reclaimed land it was built on, originally used as a navy base.
Work started in 1843 and was overseen by the Armenian Balyan family, the Ottomans’ long-standing royal architects. No expense was spared as the property was packed with alabaster, gold, mahogany, marble, and crystal. 68 state-of-the-art toilets were imported from England, along with elevators, central heating, and the world’s biggest chandelier. It became the biggest palace the empire had ever seen, with an area of 45,000 m2, 285 rooms, 46 halls, and 6 hammams.
Work went on for 13 years and went hugely over budget. When it was completed in 1856, it had cost the Ottoman state 25% of annual tax revenue, or $2 billion in today’s money. The project had to be financed by foreign loans and currency debasements, which pushed the empire into economic meltdown. It defaulted in 1875 and in 1881 European powers effectively took control of the empire’s finances through the Ottoman Public Debt Administration, a team of up to 9000 bureaucrats dedicated to paying off the empire’s debts. The Ottoman Empire became known as the “Sick Man of Europe”.
Between 1856 and 1887, and again from 1909 to 1922, Dolmabahçe served as the HQ of six sultans. Abdülmecid I introduced the liberal modernizing Tanzimat Reforms, but bankrupted the state with his fancy palace. His half-brother Abdulaziz seized power from the rightful heir, Murad V, who later deposed him, but was quickly replaced by his half-brother Abdul Hamid II, who rolled back the Tanzimat Reforms, disastrously joined Germany in WW1, and moved to the Yıldız Palace in 1880. He was followed by his half-brothers Mehmed V in 1909 and Mehmed VI in 1918, who moved back into Dolmabahçe. The last Ottoman to live here was the last caliph Abdülmecid Efendi, before the title was abolished in 1924.
That year, the ownership of the palace was nationalized, and the founder of the new republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, moved in. At the end of his life, Atatürk received medical treatment in a modest room in the Harem building, where he died at 9:05 am on November 10, 1938, a time and date marked ever year by a nationwide one-minute silence.
SIGHTS OF DOLMABAHÇE
Probably the first thing you see is the clock tower. It was built in 1895, 40 years after the rest of the palace.
Opposite the clock tower, and outside the site itself is the Dolmabahçe mosque, built at the same time as the palace in matching baroque style. It served as the Naval Museum between 1948 and 1967.
As you enter the palace you will approach the massive, ornate Imperial Gate, the palace’s main entrance, and ticket booth.
The Selamlık is the largest and showiest building in the complex and was used to greet dignitaries before they were taken to meet the sultan. It features a 2,000 m2 ceremonial hall and the biggest chandelier in the world, sold to the Sultan by British Queen Victoria.
Past the Selamlık is the Harem, the inner sanctum of the palace, sealed off from the outside world, and reserved for the Sultan, his family, and his concubines. There are eight interconnected apartments for the sultan’s wives and his mother, as well as facilities for educating their children.
Turkey’s national hero and first President, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk spent the last days of his life in a room in the Harem. Note the clock in the room, which still points to 9:05, when he passed away.
Housed in an annex of the palace is the Painting Museum, a collection of 202 oil paintings by Ottoman court painters, documenting many aspects of Ottoman life going back hundreds of years.
TRANSPORTATION AND AROUND DOLMABAHÇE
It will take you a few hours to do the whole site justice. The ticket office to the site is at the far-south end of Besiktaş, with a northern exit that leaves you in the bustling center of Besiktaş.
Please see our Besiktaş and Bosphorus videos for more information about the surrounding area, as well as hotel and restaurant recommendations.
Thanks for watching! If you have any suggestions, or if you need help moving to or traveling in Turkey, let us know in the comments. We have also created a set of ESL exercises and activities in case you want to use this video to teach or learn English.
Have you been to Dolmabahçe? Do you agree with our recommendations or is there anything we should change? And are there any other places you would like us to cover? Let us know in the comments and thanks for watching.
Keep up with all our videos via our Youtube channel, or contact us to learn more.
