Dolmabah�e
Palace
Dolmabah�e Palace was built by Abd�lmecid
where formerly stood the more modest palace of Mahmud II. The
Balyan family of architects finished construction on the clock
tower, mosque and palace in 1853. The crystal hanging-lamp in
the reciprocal room, which weighs 4.5 tons, was a present from
Queen Victoria and is said to be the largest in the world. As
Mustafa Kemal Atat�rk, the founder of modern Turkey, died here
on November 10, 1938, this palace holds special significance for
Turks.
Closed Monday and Thursday.
80680 Besiktas
Tel: (0212) 258 5544 - 227 3444
Beylerbeyi
Palace
In the original wooden palace of Beylerbeyi,
which was built by Sultan Mahmut II, his son Sultan Abd�lmecit
personally tested the new invention by Samuel Morse, the telegraph,
in 1847.
.He immediately issued a royal patent to Morse, the world's first
patent for the telegraph. The palace later burned down, and Sultan
Abd�laziz had a new one built in its place by his architect Sarkis
Balyan.
Many famous guests, such as French Empress Eugenie, Austrian
Emperor Franz Joseph, Persian Shah Nasireddin were received in
this palace.
Sultan Abd�lhamid, who had been sent in exile to Salonica, was
brought back to Istanbul in 1912 to spend the
rest of his life at Beylerbeyi where he died in 1918.
Closed Monday and Thursday.
81210 Beylerbeyi
Tel: (0216) 321 9320 / 321 9321
Ciragan Palace
This palace was built by Sultan Abd�laziz
in 1861, who ascended the throne after Sultan Abd�lmecit. It was
designed by Nikogos Balyan and the construction carried out by
Sarkis and Agop Balyan. In 1876, Murat V was placed in house arrest
at ciragan on grounds that he was mentally ill and Sultan Abd�lhamid
took the throne. Murat lived at ciragan until his death in 1905.
The palace was being used as the house of parliament when it burned
down in 1910. Today the restored ciragan Palace is a luxury hotel.
The Aynalikavak
Mansion
This
residence, which is on the same side of the Golden Horn as the
Camialti and Taskizak docks, was built at the beginning of the
17th century. It stands right beside a grove called Hasbah�e and
took its contemporary shape at the beginning of the 19th century
under Selim III.Aynalikavak is the biggest mansion in the Golden
Horn and the only one in the area that remains today.
Closed to visitors.
Hidiv
Mansion
The residence of Hilmi Pasha, the Khedive
of Egypt, was built by the Italian architect Delfo Seminati at
the beginning of the 20th century. It is located in a large grove
above cubuklu and is therefore also known as the Cubuklu palace
or Cubuklu residence. The mansion was sold to the Istanbul municipality
in the 1930s. The building's east front is square and the south
and northwest sides are crescent-shaped. The inner salons are
used as a restaurant, the upper levels as a hotel and the marble
salon and gardens surrounding the residence as cafes.
Open every day.
Ihlamur
Mansion
The Ihlamur mansion actually consists
of two buildings, the Maiyet and the Merasim residences which
are set in a large garden. Nikogos Balyan built them for Sultan
Abd�lmecit in 1855.
They were turned into a Tanzimat Period museum in 1950 and, after
restoration, were opened to the public.
Closed Monday and Thursday.
Ihlamur, 80690 Besiktas
Tel: (0212) 258 8903 / 259 5086
K���ksu
Mansion
In the region on the Bosphorus shore
that is called "Sweet Waters of Asia" by the Westerners,
there was a picnic area between the two streams that was frequently
visited by the elegant and elite population of Istanbul for their
daytime excursions and entertainment. The mansion was designed
by the chief architect of Abd�lmecid, Nikogos Balyan.
Closed Monday and Thursday. 81220 Anadolu Hisari Tel: (0216) 332
3320
Maslak
Mansions
These are hunting lodges in Ayazaga, the hunting grounds of
the Sultan which bordered on the Levent neighborhood in Ottoman
times. These lodges were built by Sultan Abd�laziz.
Closed Monday and Thursday.
80670 Maslak-Levent
Tel: (0212) 276 1022
Sale
Mansion
This residence inside the Yildiz Palace complex was designed
in three parts. The first part was built in 1879-80 and the second
in 1889 by architect Sarkis Balyan. The third portion for ceremonials
was completed in 1898 by Italian architect Raimondo d'Aronco.
Since 1985 it has served as a museum of Yildiz Palace.
Closed Monday and Thursday.
80700 Yildiz-Besiktas
Tel: (0212) 259 4570 / 259 8977
Sepet�iler
Mansion
A series of seaside residences on the historic peninsula were
a part of Topkapi Palace. The only remnant of these residences
is the Sepet�iler Mansion, which was built by the architect Davut
Aga. The sepet�iler were a division of the bostancilar,
the palace guard. Today the building serves as the International
Press Center.
Tiled
Mansion (Cinili K�sk)
This residence is in the courtyard
of the Archaeological Museum. It was the first residence of Fatih
Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror who wanted to have his palace in this
area. The tiles, which decorate the entire building, show the
dominant influence of the Seljuk style. Today, the most beautiful
examples of Turkish tile-making can be seen here.
Closed in the morning and on Monday.
Osman Hamdi Bey Yokusu, G�lhane
Tel: (0212) 520 7774
Topkapi
Palace
When Fatih Sultan Mehmet conquered
the city in 1453 he chose to build his palace on the site of the
old Byzantine palace ruins that had been looted and destroyed
by the Latins. This palace was used as the Ottoman residence for
almost 400 years until the reign of Abd�lmecid, and was therefore
subjected to many changes as it passed from sultan to sultan.
After Sultan Abd�lmecid moved out, the palace starts falling apart
like any building does after it is abandoned.
In the 19th
century, the first military museum of Turkey was opened there.
It serves as a concert hall because of its excellent acoustics
and imposing atmosphere. Bab�sselam is the main entrance
of the Topkapi Palace museum. The hospital, bakery, mint and armory
are in this courtyard. The kitchen buildings are situated on the
right side of the courtyard. In addition to kitchen equipment,
a rich 500-year collection of glass and porcelain are displayed
in this building. On the left side of the courtyard stand the
palace chariots where there used to be stables, the weapon collection
and the entrance to the Harem. After passing through the courtyard,
one comes to the Bab�ssaade gate which gives way to the
private sections of the palace. Facing the gate is the reception
room where Divan members and foreign diplomats were received.
Behind the reception room are the Enderun quarters from the 18th
century where now are displayed various costumes of the Sultans,
and the treasury chamber, where thrones, jewels, jewel-studded
weapons and medals are displayed. Also exhibited in this chamber
are the most beautiful examples of the thousands of miniatures
which are everywhere in the palace In the Has Room are most extraordinary
examples of calligraphy. In the Hirka-i Saadet chamber, objects
belonging to the Prophet Mohammed and the first caliphs of Islam
are displayed. In the fourth courtyard of the palace, there are
different mansions built by various Sultans, including the Bagdat,
Revan, Sofa and Mecidiye residences. The Mecidiye Residence functions
as a restaurant today.
Closed Tuesday.
34400 Sultanahmet
Tel: (0212) 512 0480 - 512 0484
After a thorough
restoration duringthe Republican era, Topkapi Palace was turned
into a museum. The towered outer entrance of the palace, the Bab-i
H�mayun entrance, comes down from the time of Sultan Mehmet.
Entering from the Bab-i H�mayun, one reaches the oldest
church of the Byzantine period, St. Irene. After the conquest
it was used as the armory of the Janisseries soldiers.
Yildiz
Palace
The area that comes into view after
crossing the Besiktas shore to the northwest used to be a forest
in Byzantine times. Beginning in the era of Suleyman the Magnificent,
the sultans made it their hunting grounds. In the centuries to
come, it remained as a grove behind the seaside residences. The
first building was constructed in this area by Sultan Selim III.
The real development of Yildiz Palace begins in the second half
of the 19th century under Abd�lhamid II. Architects Sarkis and
Agop Balyan designed the mansions named B�y�k Mabeyn, Sale, K���k
Sale, Malta and Cadir.
The winter gardens and greenhouses, guardhouse, harem, Yaveran
mansion, stables, theater house and exhibition building were all
planned by the architect d'Aronco.
The Yildiz complex of palaces, residences and administration,
security and service buildings, scattered over 500,000 square
meter park area, carry the memories of many events from Turkey's
recent history.
Beginning of the 19th century for his mother Mihrisah Valide
Sultan which doesn't exist now. In 1834, a residence named Yildiz
was built by Sultan Mahmud II, and the palace built later on the
site, as well as the neighborhood around the palace, were called
Yildiz. In 1842, Sultan Abd�lmecid built a second residence there
for his mother.
|