We know Dolmabahçe Palace for its ornate gates, its magnificent silhouette that fascinates those who see it from the shore, its symbol of luxury and extravagance in the last period of the Ottoman Empire, and of course, as the place where Atatürk passed away. However, this magnificent monument between Kabataş and Beşiktaş also has features that are little known today that shed light on the history of the Ottoman Empire and Turkey.

The current location of Dolmabahçe Palace was a bay where the Ottoman Admiralty anchored their ships 400 years ago. It was filled in 1614 upon the instructions of Ahmet III. In 1843, Sultan Abdülmecit decided to build a magnificent palace instead of the wooden structure known as “Beşiktaş Saray-ı Hümâyûnu” (Beşiktaş Grand Coastal Palace). The architects of the palace, which was opened in 1856, were Balyan Kalfa, Nikoğos Kalfa and Evanis Kalfa… British Architect Smith Kalfa took part in the construction of sections such as the “Crystal Stairs”. The palace, built as a “prestige” structure at the entrance to the Bosphorus in the 19th century, also changed the city’s silhouette at the time. The aim of its construction was to compete with Western countries, at least on an “architectural” level. The influence of the Versailles and Elysee Palaces in France and the Schönnbrun Palaces in Vienna can be felt in its architecture. The walls and ceilings of Dolmabahçe, which has a magnificence not found in any Turkish palace, are decorated with paintings by famous European painters and gold ornaments weighing tons. The famous Hereke silk and wool carpets can be found in many parts of the palace.

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Halit Ziya Uşaklıgil’s room is preserved as is.
Now the sultan’s general secretary, called the “chief chamberlain” (chief chamberlain), and the staff of the oratory department work on the ground floor, under the Mabeyn-i Hümayun. One of the most famous chief clerks here is Sultan Reşat’s chief clerk, Halit Ziya Uşaklıgil. His room is preserved as is, even today.

The palace’s ‘Treasury Gate’ opens to the President.
The imperial gate, facing Meclis-i Mebusan Street, is one of the four gates of the palace. It used to be kept closed. However, it was opened when the sultan was going to enter and exit on official days or when he was going to leave with his party. Today, it is only opened to the President, who is the head of state.

Dolmabahçe in Numbers
• The main building of the palace is 17 thousand square meters…
• In 2009, 818 thousand people, 461 thousand of whom were foreigners, visited the palace.
• The palace has 285 rooms, 43 halls, 82 corridors, 64 halls, 62 toilets, 6 large baths, 9 private bathrooms, 5 cellars and 3 kitchens.
• Its most important feature is that it was built with a symmetrical plan. Every object on the sea front has its counterpart on the land front.
• It was used only twice in 33 years, during holidays in the Muayede Hall.
• The sultan who used the palace the longest was Mehmet Reşat, the 5th, with eight years. The other sultans were Abdülmecit and Abdülaziz…
• It is the second largest palace after Topkapı Palace.
• The Constitutional Monarchy was declared here on March 19, 1877. Seminars on the Alphabet Revolution were also held here.
• Its exterior is covered with marble, but its supporting skeleton and columns are covered with wood.