Dolmabahçe Sarayı

While not as familiar to most foreigners (Americans) as the Topkapi Palace, Dolmabahce is a must-​see on any visits to Istanbul. It is located some distance from the main historical areas, but it is right at the end stop of the tram that runs along the Bosporus, so very easy to get to. And it you are staying near the Taksim Square area, it is straight downhill (a VERY STEEP downhill!)
The palace was the residence of the Sultan and his family from the mid-1800’s, as well as the residence for Ataturk after the Ottomans fell. It is very European in style… largely baroque-​ish. But grand in every respect. The phenomenal chandeliers and ornate decorations give a clear feel for the era.
Do spring for the Full Ticket, which include the Harem (private family quarters in the back of the main palace. Just interesting to see how the family lived… not so good to be wife number 3 or 3, but Mother of the Sultan, was clearly a pretty good deal… if you didn’t mind ever leaving the Palace!

this is definitely my most favorite palace in Istanbul — grandiose, well preserved and a true gem. Keep extra time to walk the gardens/​eat lunch and also visit the smaller palaces/​museum/​animals!

Este es otro de los palacios más conocidos de la ciudad aunque sin duda, mucho más modesto y menos visitado que su hermano Topkapi.
Este palacio se sitúa en la parte europea moderna al borde del mar y la visita es guiada en inglés o en turco a sus dos partes más importantes: la parte administrativa y la parte del harén. Las entradas se venden de forma independiente aunque si compras la conjunta sale algo más económica.
Nosotros empezamos la visita por la parte de harén. Para ello, siguiendo las indicaciones nos dirigimos hacia la parte más lejana del edificio y cuando llegamos una chica nos indicó que debíamos esperar unos 20 min hasta el siguiente turno de visita en inglés (no es posible visitar ninguna de las dos partes de forma libre y los grupos guiados son muy numerosos). Cuando entramos y tras ponernos unos protectores en los zapatos pasamos a la primera planta donde pudimos ver un conjunto de salas fastuosamente decoradas al estilo árabe de los siglos XVIII y XIX. Además, en esta visita también se puede ver la habitación donde murió Ataturk, padre de la patria turca, que se conserva intacta.
Después de esta visita, nos dirigimos hacia la parte administrativa donde seguimos el mismo procedimiento de espera y visita guiada que anteriormente. En esta parte, pudimos ver sobre todo salones enormes usados en las últimas etapas del sultanato y en los tiempos de Ataturk.
En general, la visita se me hizo algo larga y creo que el sistema de gestión no es muy eficiente ya que hay que esperar bastante entre una visita y otra ya que no están demasiado coordinadas aunque siempre puedes aprovechar para pasear por los jardines de alrededor que tiene zonas muy fotogénicas.

The Versailles of Turkey. My favorite historical attraction in Istanbul. Easy 2+ hours strolling around the immaculate gardens and grounds of this palace that is along the water. Museum portion was well done with droves of information and clear direction or flow for visitors moving through the rooms of the palace. Neoclassical architecture, gilded chandeliers and abundant mirrors give it a heavy European vibe. This was one of the more family-​friendly places to visit in Istanbul.

Dolmabahce is such a breath taking place to visit. I know whenever people want to visit Istanbul, Topkapi, the Blue Mosque, and Hagia Sophia are probably the first spots anyone wants to hit. However, this is really one of those places you need to add next.
Yes, it is pretty crowded. If you can, try to come early in the morning. Otherwise, you will be stuck in a line all day. One annoying part about this place are the long lines you have to wait in. There’s one to buy the ticket, another one to get into the palace, another one for tours. And, if you’d like a tour in English, you’ll probably be waiting the longest out of anyone else there. They are extremely strict in the Palace — you cannot wander around by yourself and have to walk in certain areas to maintain the place. However, if you see how well it is maintained, you will completely understand!
We ended up coming here with a group of four people so the lines weren’t horrible. It was a great way to get a few pictures. Best part? Everyone is already in line so you don’t have to worry about a bunch of tourists in the background of your photos. All in all, I really don’t think any trip to Istanbul is complete without a trip to Dolmabahce.

When you hear of Istanbul you hear Topkapi, Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia… this place is the unsung hero. A fabulous palace of grandeur that is a must see in Istanbul. The Ottoman Sultans surely visited Versailles and said lets build one that’s fancier.14 tons of gold to guild the ceilings along and the crystal stair case and chandeliers are magnificent. A must see. We had a private tour of the palace so for me I cannot comment on lines or waits which was super nice since it was incredibly hot the day we visited.

À faire absolument malgré les photos interdites à l’intérieur. C’est ma plus belle visite à Istanbul. D’une beauté égale à l’Ermitage de saint-​Pétersbourg.

I don’t get the overall five-​star rating for this tourist trap. I think, sometimes, tourists see attractions listed on Unilocal and other reviews sites and if they have an overall high review score, then that means that the attraction must be totally mint. Like, if the reviews say five-​stars, then it must be completely and utterly mind-​blowing.
Over the course of four years, traveling throughout Europe and visiting many great and many poor tourist attractions, I can honestly say that the Dolmabahce Palast is one of the worst.
First, if you do not arrive first thing in the morning, you are going to have to wait in the ticket queue for no less than an hour. Oh, and note that they only sell a set number of tickets everyday, so if you arrive late in the day, you may stand in the queue for an hour only to be told that they have sold all tickets for the day. If this happens, thank your lucky stars! Aside from wasting an hour our your time in the queue, you’ve just hit the jackpot!
Second, pay more than you should for this attraction.
Third, once you get your ticket, you have to queue up again to get in the palace as all tours are guided and are language-​based. Fortunately, we did not have to wait very long for an English tour to kick off but the tour was so incredibly terrible, I had wished we were still standing outside in the pouring rain.
The tour groups, at least the English ones, are 50 people. Sure, they may be less but probably not. So, cozy up with your closest 49 strangers and try to understand the tour «guide» who may or many not be anywhere near you. Between the poor English and the fact that our «guides» voice did not carry well, I didn’t hear a thing.
We were left so disappointed that we did not visit any of the other exhibits which were included in our ticket price.
Go do something else instead of going here.

This is an amazing palace, built later in the Ottoman Empire as a response to Versailles. And it succeed in its goal to be greater than Versailles on many levels.
The ornate nature of the architecture, as well as the furniture and other appointments, is a spectacle to be seen. And the place is HUGE

Speaking of Istanbul’s Dolmabahce Palace, last month I enjoyed its fine painting museum away from the maddening crowd. This renovated art museum reflected the conservative tastes of the Ottoman sultans and Ataturk in Art. With one exception, the paintings were Realistic, Naturalistic, or Oriental in style. There was plenty of pertinent information in English, as well as Turkish. I spent about four and a half hours enjoying its works of Art. Personal favorites by Non-​Turkish painters included;Gustave Boulanger’s“Interior View of Pompei”, Eugene Fromentin’s“Nile Shore”, Sandor Swoboda’s“Ladies in Harem”, Felix Ziem’s“Venice”, Theo Van Rhysellberghe’s“Galata Bridge, Istanbul”-fine Pointillism), and Fausto Zonaro’s“Uskudar, View of Istanbul”-Ottoman court painter).Personal favorites by Turkish painters included;Halil Pasa’s“Goksu Creek”, Osman Nuri Pasa’s“Landscape”, Osman Hamdi Bey’s“Young Woman Having Hair Combed”-fine Orientalism) Omer Ben Mustafa’s“Aksaray, Valide Sultan Mosque”, and Sekrit Dag’s“Interior View of Hagia Sophia”.This art museum’s forte is its comprehensive collection of seascapes and Oriental theme paintings by Russian Master, Ivan Ayvazovski, including his“Eyup by Moonlight”,“Ottoman Navy in Front of Citagan Palace”, and «View of Egypt».At this art museum, photography is forbidden. However, this art museum has a nice shop where you can purchase mementoes of the things you enjoyed in this art museum.

Je m’offre un brin d’évasion en écrivant cet avis sur ce qui a été — sans conteste — ma plus belle visite lors de mon long weekend à Istanbul: le Palais de Dolmabahçe (à prononcer Dolmabatché). C’est un palais qui est juste merveilleux: vous y trouverez supebes édifices, fontaines, jardins et également … magnifique vue sur le Bosphore. C’est un palais qui est sous la gérance de la grande assemblée nationale de Turquie.
Le palais est surtout très connu car c’est dans une des chambres qu’est mort le président Ataturk, premier président de la Turquie moderne. Il y est mort après y avoir vécu quelques années.
Vous y verrez également une relève de la garde militaire lorsque vous vous y baladerez. Il y a des grandes portes superbes de part et d’autres du palais, je trouve qu’au niveau architecture, le palais est sublime. Ce serait dommage de tout vous dire ici, ça se laisse
Toutefois, c’est vraiment blindé, il y a beaucoup de monde. Egalement, le palais étant un exemple de propreté, vous voila avertis: à l’entrée, vous devrez mettre des chaussons de plastique par dessus vos chaussures. La p’tite touché glamour de la visite.

Now this was fun to see. I love experiencing palaces rather than museums. Unfortunately only 25% of the palace was open but it still was interesting. We had a private tour guide for the day who told us all about the place. The chandeliers and décor are so intricate and elegant, and the size of the ballroom is amazing. The art work wasn’t that old to be admired but was still mesmerizing. And where else can you see a palace that’s right on the water? Only bummer part is no photos inside.

Often missed due to the other numerous attractions, this later stage palace shows the opulence of the Sultans, in the later stages of the Ottoman empire.
The guided tour is at times a bit rushed or stuck, but the overall tour is well worth it.
Don’t miss it.

A must see stop in Istanbul which is generally lesser know than topkapi, Hagia Sophia and blue mosque. The grounds and architecture are amazing though don’t expect ottoman influences or you will be disappointed. The fact that is on water’s edge makes it that mush more appealing.

It’s not a traditional kind of saray (palace) for Ottomans, that’s why you’ll see the difference between Topkapi and it.
Dolmabahce is built in the late era of Ottoman’s, and it can be seen affected by European’s style. The difference can be read on internet, yet, the palace is quite different from traditional Turk architercture.
In addition, i definitely advise you to have a cup of turkish coffe next to the bosphorous in its garden in midnight, it is probably open to 3 am.

Ein wirklich beeindruckender Palast. Alle Zimmer waren eingerichtet. Wir hatten die Besichtigung mit den privaten Räumen (Harem) dazugenommen. Es war alles prunkvoll und schick eingerichtet. Auf jedenfall ein Besuch wert.

Not what I expected, in a completely mind-​blowing way. This truly is a wonder in Istanbul, and I can say that after having seen literally everything else. Of all the architecture, grandeur, and excellent history alive and well in the city, the palace is truly a gem — if you know something about Turkish history, it’s even more.
I didn’t mind the guided tour — I was lucky enough to jump on the Turkish one (good even if you don’t speak Turkish… you’ve read all about it in your Lonely Planet guide anyway, haven’t you??) — and it was completely lovely. The tour guide moved along quickly enough so that we wouldn’t get caught up in traffic, and I more or less felt like I was walking around on my own.
If you’re pressed for time (the palace closes at 4pm in the Winter), join the Turkish tours. There are less people and as long as you don’t look like a foreigner/​talk loudly in English, they’ll let you in these smaller groups that have dramatically lower wait times.
Also, you can easily do the harem and the official part in 2 hours, but that is the minimum time you’ll need due to wait times for the tours. The harem is worth seeing, but I don’t recommend paying the 15 TL extra unless if you know a lot about Turkish/​Ottoman history or are really interested in seeing bedrooms and kids’ rooms.
Have fun and take your time if you can — the end of the official part of the palace was one of the most amazing surprises of my life.

This is one of the most beautiful places you could see. Honestly, I would skip topkapi entirely and take the train out to see this place instead if your time in Istanbul is short. Gorgeously preserved, you get a guided tour. I don’t know why they split the tour into two parts, but the Harem segments is more of the same, it’s the living quarters and isn’t as fancy as the main part of the palace.
This is a must see for the historical city, and where the «baller» Ottomans lived.

This palace
is really interesting and nice to visit. Unfortunately the guided tours are not
really well organized. We had problems already buying the ticket since the
credit card POS was not working (but it could happen). The major issue is that
you are in big group and the tour guide is really difficult to understand or he
does not wait that you are there in order to start with his explanation.
Moreover due of the size of the group and due to the facts that some people
does not speak/​understand English, they will talk during the visit and you
cannot follow the guide. Anyway it
is really worth to pay a visit at this palace.

With so many palaces and castles around the UK, you might think that we’ve seen it all. However, Dolmabahce Sarayi is gorgeous, stunning place. Very well preserved with all furniture, paintings and sculptures, and God, you gotta love those carpets!
Very impressive 4 tonnes chandlier in the main ball room, which, in fact, was a gift from Queen Victoria, and is believed to be the largest chandlier in the world.
The palace’s gardens are in a very good shape, and I only hope I could see them once again in spring/​summer time. And the view across the Bosphorus is marvelous, you can actually see Asia (the Asian part of Istanbul to be more specific).
Our tour guide was very nice, knew everything and was happy to answer all questions the group had.
And for the football lovers, the palace is 100 meters away from the Besiktas stadium.

This is a lovely European style palace. It was drizzling when we went, so they made us wear little footies over our shoes so the carpets wouldn’t get dirty. No photos allowed inside, and we could only enter at set times with a guided tour.
The groups were way too huge, and guides had heavily accented English, so it was kind of hard to hear what was going on. I noticed that the English sign had entry fees at twice the cost of the Turkish signs. For instance, we paid 40 TL each for the palace and harem, but it was only 20 TL for the Turkish tour. Craziness.
Beware of the restaurant right outside the palace. Hustlers getting you seated, no menus in sight, and crappy, cold food. :(

Mit wunderschöner Archtiektur und viel Liebe zum Detail gehört der Dolmahce-​Palast auf jeden Fall zu den Sehenswürdigkeiten von Istanbul. Besonders empfehlenswert ist eine Fahrt mit Fähre, denn dann kann man die Rückseite des Palastes in Vollem genießen.

Für mich die interessanteste Indoor Sehenswürdigkeit in Istanbul.
Zuerst fährt man Richtung Norden, vom Endpunktb der Straßenbahn sind es noch ca. 10 Minuten zu Fuß. Der Palast ist immer gut besucht und so reiht man sich erstmal in eine lange Schlange am Kassenhäuschen ein, leider in der prallen Sonne. Die Stehzeit kann schonmal eine halbe Stunde dauern. An der Kasse erhält man dann Tickets mit aufgedruckter Eintrittszeit, in der Regel für in ca. 30 Minuten.
Der Garten des Palastes lädt zum Schlendern ein, man hat eine wunderschöné Aussicht auf den Bosporus. Innen muß man sich dann wieder anstellen, es gibt englische und türkische Führungen, die sich aber wirklich lohnen. Imposante Architektur, mondäné Einrichtung, alles sehr reich und spannend.
Sollte man sich ansehen!

Den Dolmabhace Serail finde ich beeindruckender als den Topkapi und zwar weil er voll eingerichtet ist.
Besuchen kann man den Palast nur in geführten Touren auf Englisch oder Türkisch. Die Tour durch den Palast dauer ca. 1,5 Stunden, die durch den Harem ca. 45 min.
In Erinnerung ist mir die Tour durch den Palast besser geblieben, da unser Führer da wirklich gut war. Roma hat ja schon fast alles gesagt.
Besonder beeindruckend fand ich die 2000 m große Audienzhalle in der es 4.000!!! Glühbirnen gibt, allein ca. 1.500 an einem riesigen Kronleuchter, einem der größten der Welt. Der Teppich in der Mitte ist fast 1.000 m groß — unfassbar!
Und dann noch das Kristalltreppengeländer im Palast. Wunderschön.
Im Harem ware die total identischen WOhnungen der Frauen am interessantesten. Ich hatte mir das komplett anders vorgestellt.
Wenn Ihr nicht Zeit genug habt, Topkapi und Dolmabahce Palast zu besichtigen: Ich würde mich immer für den Dolmabahce Palast entscheiden.
Da täglich nur eine limitierte Anzahl Personen rein dürfen, sollte man frühzeitig da sein.

Le palais de Dolmabahçe (Dolmabahçe Sarayi) est de loin le plus vaste des palais ottomans du Bosphore. Le site était, à l’époque byzantine, un petit port. Mehmet Fatih le fit combler et créa à sa place un jardin royal, d’où le nom Dolmabahçe qui veut dire le jardin comblé. En 1842, Abdül Mecit confia la construction du colossal palais, que l’on voit aujourd’hui, à Karabet Balyan et son fils Nikogos. Ces derniers l’achevèrent en 1853. On pénètre dans l’enceinte du palais par les jardins à l’extrémité sud. Sa façade longue de 248 m, d’un marbre blanc lumineux, borde la rive du détroit. Son quai s’étend sur 600 m. Le corps central est flanqué de deux ailes qui abritent le siège du gouvernement et les appartements du sultan. Le selamlik (réservé aux hommes) occupe la partie sud et le harem la partie nord. Si l’on ajoute les logements du personnel résidant au palais, les 46 salons et les 6 hammams, cela représente un ensemble de 285 pièces.
Il ressemble à un palais d’amphibies: les flots du Bosphore, pour peu qu’ils s’élèvent sous le vent, rasent les fenêtres et jettent leur écume dans les appartements du rez-​de-​chaussée; les marches et les perrons trempent dans l’eau; les portes grillagées donnent entrée à la mer jusque dans les cours et les jardins. Là sont les remises pour les caïques et les bains pour les sultanes qui peuvent nager dans la mer à l’abri des persiennes de leur salon .
Alphonse de Lamartine.
Le palais de Dolmabahçe fut conçu dans un style composite, mi-​occidental mi-​oriental, mélange singulier et baroque des ordres classiques et d’une ornementation évoquant les Indes lointaines. Les 285 chambres et les 46 salons répondent à la même volonté de mélange des styles. Les objets les plus extravagants, les peintures murales exécutées par des peintres russes ou italiens, les énormes candélabres en cristal de Bohème ou de Baccarat, le mobilier, la décoration syncrétique en fond un lieu fabuleux où l’excès et la démesure se conjuguent à la suavité et au sens de la pompe. La mosquée de Dolmabahçe (Dolmabahçe Camïï) fut construite en 1853 par l’architecte Nikogos Balyan; il lui adjoint, l’année suivante, une tour baroque en pierre de taille, la tour de l’horloge qui domine, de ses 27 m de hauteur, cette partie de la ville (voir photos commentées).
Conseils: Privilégier l’ouverture du site (09:00), prévoir une petite matinée. Droit photographiques: 6 YTL /​appareil photo (fermé les lundi et jeudi). Vous pouvez visiter uniquement le selamlik (partie du palais réservée aux hommes et au gouvernement de l’empire, droit d’entrée: 15 YTL), ou bien prendre une visite combinée selamlik + harem, droit d’entrée: 20 YTL. Le selamlik es de loin la partie la plus belle, le harem est une partie plus terne mais présente de nombreux objets et meubles témoins de la vie quotidienne des femmes et des enfants à la cour au XIXème siècle, non sans intéret. Malheureusement (pas pour longtemps ???), la visite du palais est une visite guidée au pas de course dans un anglais incompréhensible alors que celui-​ci mériterait que l’on y prenne son temps: les lustres et chandeliers, les objets en porcelaine, les tableaux orientalistes, les meubles sont de toute beauté bien que montrés du doigt par les historiens de l’art…
Bonne visite et bon séjour dans cette magnifique ville d’Istanbul.
David MENARD