Beylerbeyi (means “Lord of the Lords”) Palace was built as the summer residence of the Sultans, is located at Beylerbeyi neighborhood on the Asian shore of the Bosporus. It was ordered by the Sultan Abdulaziz and built in between 1861-1865 by the chief architects Sarkis Balyan and Agop Balyan. Balyan brothers were the imperial architects with Armenian origins and they designed the ottoman palaces in French neo-baroque style with a traditional Ottoman house plan. Besides, it was a summer palace and it was used as as the guest house for the foreign visitors and ambassadors. Sultan Abdulhamid II spent the last 6 years of his life and died here in 1918.
The palace was constructed on the area of about 2,500 square meters with a rectangular floor facing to the Bosphorus. There are 6 large halls and 24 rooms on two floors raised on a service basement which was originally used as a kitchen and storage. The palace is divided into the main administrative section (Selamlik) and the private house of the royal family (Harem) and the palace has different entrances for both sections. The Selamlik was used for state functions and therefore is very ornate, while the Harem section has more simple decoration as it was reserved only to the female members of the royal family.
Besides, in the Ottoman House plan, everything is symmetrical with the European style including the most of the furnitures, chandeliers, and other decorative objects. Outside is made of stones and marble, and inside with brick walls and wooden floors. Bohemian crystal chandeliers, French clocks, and Chinese, Japanese, French and Turkish porcelain vases are decorating the interior of the palace. There are many oil paintings on the walls describing naval scenes, and calligraphic inscriptions decorating the ceilings of the halls. The Hall with the oval pool and the Blue Hall (or Ceremonial Hall) are the most interesting state sections of the administrative part.
The gardens are full of different kind of trees, with a great view of the Bosporus, and two small sea kiosks by the pier which were served one for official (men) and another for private (women).
Useful Information
* The palace is on Asian shore of the city. Therefore, visiters need to take the regular seabus from the pier of Eminonu or Besiktas to the district Uskudar on the Asian part and a bus travel of about 10 minutes.
*Open everyday except Mondays and Thursdays from 09.00 am to 4.00 pm. It is also closed 1st of January and first days of religious festivals.
* Ticket for garden and palace is 10 Turkish liras.
* Visitors are not allowed to make photo and video records indoor sections.
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