What it is
Dolmabahçe is what happened when the empire decided to be seen as a European power. Baroque, rococo and neoclassical piled together along six hundred metres of Bosphorus shoreline, with fourteen tonnes of gold on the ceilings.
Atatürk died here in 1938, and the clocks in his room are stopped at the moment. It is a quieter part of the visit and often the part people remember.
Entry is by guided route only, in timed groups, and the selamlık and harem sections are ticketed separately.
Arriving by car
This is the easiest of the major palaces to reach by car. The gate is directly on the coastal road through Beşiktaş and there is a proper set-down point at the entrance.
The site is long and flat, so it suits guests who find Topkapı's slopes and cobbles hard going.
Worth knowing
- Closed one day a week and entry stops well before closing time
- Photography is restricted inside the state rooms
- It pairs naturally with an afternoon up the Bosphorus rather than with the old city
Close by
Beşiktaş · Ortaköy · Naval Museum · Yıldız Park