Dolmabahçe Palace was built by Sultan Abdülmecid. The palace, which started its construction in 1843, was opened in 1856 after the surrounding walls were completed.
The palace mainly consists of the Imperial State Apartments, the Ceremonial Hall and the Harem. The main building has three floors, basement on the side parallel to the sea, and four floors, on the land side, containing the garret floors and the Harem neighborhoods. 
Significant Western influences observed in style, details and ornaments are reflections of the changing aesthetic values in the last period of the Empire. It is a building complex where traditional Turkish style is applied in a wide scale in terms of the organization of the space and the relations between the rooms and the halls. The exterior of the building is of stone style, the inner walls are brick and the floors are wooden. In 1910-12, electricity and central heating was installed in the place open to modern technology. It consists of 45.000 square meters of usage area, 285 rooms, 44 reception rooms and 6 baths. The section where the Sultan carries out state affairs is the most important part of Dolmabahçe Palace in terms of its function and magnificence. The hall at the entrance, the crystal staircase that serves in connection with the upper floor and the Süfera Hall, which has protocol features, where foreign ambassadors have fun, and the Red Room used by the sultan for the reception of the visitors are all decorated and furnished. The Zülvecheyn Hall on the upper floor serves as an entrance to the apartment specially reserved for the sultan in Mabeyn. In this apartment, there are study and relaxation rooms and a magnificent hammam with marbles brought from Egypt where the Sultan lived his daily life. The library, which consists of the books of Sultan Abdülmecid in the same section, is one of the distinguished rooms. The Exam Hall, located between the Harem and Mabeyn sections, is the highest and most magnificent hall of the Dolmabahçe Palace. It seems that this hall differs from the other parts of the palace with its area exceeding 2000 square meters, 56 columns, a dome 36 meters high and a 4.5-ton chandelier.
Although the Dolmabahçe Palace was under the influence of the West and was built to model European palaces, Harem was built as a separate section, although not as in the past. However, unlike Topkapı Palace, Harem is no longer a separate building or complex of the Palace; however, it is a special living unit located under the same roof within the same building complex. Dolmabahçe Palace hosted 6 sultans at intervals and the last Ottoman Sultan Abdulmecid Efendi from 1856 to 1924, when it was put into service.
The palace was used as the Presidential office between 1927-1949. founder of Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, between the years 1927-1938 he used to work in the Dolmabahce Palace and died in this palace in 1938. The museum, which was partially open to protocol and visit between 1926-1984, was opened to visit as a museum since 1984.
It is one of the most important places to visit for tourists coming to Istanbul. Since it is crowded in the summer, there may be long queues. You can visit the palace without waiting in line with a guided tour from your travel agency. If you contact us, we will be happy to assist you with our local expert guide for Dolmabahce Palace tour, Istanbul City tours and Istanbul Bosphorus tours.
It is closed to visitors every Monday. Other days are open to visitors.
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