The Grandiose Dolmabahce Palace In Istanbul

In any other city in the world, the Dolmabahce Palace would be the great jewel of its heritage. However, in a city as monumental as Istanbul, this great construction full of treasures, riches and stories is sometimes not visited. And it is a great shame, as it is a real find.

Location Palace Dolmabahce

But, although there are many tourists who do not enter the hundreds of palatial rooms or stroll through the beautiful gardens of Dolmabahce, there are few who do not see it during one of the most popular tourist attractions in Istanbul: a cruise on the Bosphorus.

And it is that the Dolmabahce Palace is located on the shores of the Bosphorus, on its European shore. And to recognize it, it is enough to compare its size with the rest of the riverside constructions, since we are talking about the largest palace built in the Turkish capital. Although, before it got up, there was water here, since the land where a large part of it sits was gained from the sea during the eighteenth century, hence its name (dolma is to fill, and bahce is garden)

The external appearance of the palace

Specifically, the palace was built between 1842 and 1853 by order of Sultan Abdulmecid. He transferred his court here from the incredible Topkapi Palace, since this way he could count on more comforts, more in keeping with his time. But at the same time, he wanted to build a less oriental and more European-looking palace, to impress the courts of the continent.

For that reason, the style of the Dolmabahce Palace can be classified as neo-baroque, with a clear inspiration in the Palace of Versailles. Although, there is a great mix of influences with elements that are also reminiscent of the Renaissance or Neoclassicism. Without forgetting that all this is passed through the sieve of Turkish tastes and the very long tradition of Ottoman art.

The history and present of Dolmabahce

Well, that was the official residence of the Turkish sultans from 1853 to 1922, when they changed to a new form of government under the first president of modern Turkey, Ataturk. Although this politician kept it as his official residence for his stays in Istanbul, since the capital of the country was Ankara.

And not only that, but he took refuge here already being ill and that was where he died. The rooms he occupied were left as is, and even the clocks are stopped at the time he died, 9.05 minutes. Some rooms that for the Turks are a highlight during the guided tours of the palace, which is currently converted into a large museum.

The guided tour of Dolmabahce

The first thing we recommend is to get up a little early. Dolmabahce is not the most visited monument in Istanbul, but there are always people, so to avoid long lines, it is best to get up early and hire the guided tours. It is the only way to enter. Of course, there are only a few in Spanish.

Once integrated into a group , you can already enjoy the great riches of the palace, some of them coming from gifts from European monarchs, such as the great Bohemian crystal chandelier in the great hall that Queen Victoria gave away. This large lamp is a sign that we are in a very European palace.

In addition, there are other very outstanding points such as the glass balustrade of the Crystal Staircase, a paragon of delicacy and pageantry in keeping with the luxury of these rooms, where there are also elements very typical of Turkish decorative traditions such as the fine and huge carpets .

By the way, when you enter you will see that you have to put on some paper tights like those of a hospital, and the whole route is on carpets and rugs.