Dolmabahçe Palace
- Visit: about 3 h
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Why go
- The world's largest crystal chandelier, with 750 bulbs and weighing 4.5 tonnes, in the Ceremonial Hall
- The harem's eight linked apartments, each with its own bathroom
- Hereke carpets, Baccarat crystal and Sèvres porcelain in the palace's rooms
Opening hours
Today09:00 – 17:00Show all
Don't miss
- Crystal staircaseMade of Baccarat crystal, brass and mahogany, in a double horseshoe shape.Inside the palace On the map
- Ceremonial Hall domeA dome 36 metres high over the large reception hall that links the two wings.The large reception hall On the map
- Room 71Atatürk died in room number 71; the clock in the room still shows 9:05.Now part of the museum On the map
- Medhal entrance hallGuests once waited in this hall until a protocol official led them inside.At the start of the visit On the map
- Clément's gazelle-hunt paintingBy Félix-Auguste Clément, the museum's largest orientalist work, restored in 2019.In the painting museum On the map
Your visit in 1–3 hours
- Enter on the narrow southern side, where the main entrance is.
- Begin in the Medhal, the entrance hall.
- Also see the Selamlık, the Muayede Salonu and the Harem.
- School groups have their own route through the Mavi Salon area.
Know before you go
- Open Tuesday to Sunday, 09:00 to 17:00.
- Photography is not allowed inside.
- Backpacks must be left in the cloakroom.
- Tickets can be bought online on the palace's own website.
- The Müzeumkart pass is not accepted.
Legends and hidden details
- Legend says Fatih Sultan Mehmed beached his ships here during the conquest, to move them into the Haliç.
What's inside
- Selamlık, the government block where state affairs were run. It includes the Imperial Mabeyn, also called State Apartments.
- The Harem, the sultan's private quarters and the part for family life.
- The Painting Gallery, the national painting museum since 2014, has 30 rooms and 533 works.
- Also inside are a Music Museum, a Clock Museum and a Museum of Palace Collections.
- The palace holds the world's largest collection of crystal chandeliers, including Baccarat ones.
- Stefano Ussi's painting, the palace's largest, hangs on the left wall of the clerk's room.
- The main building has two full floors, plus a basement and a mezzanine.
Tips for your visit
- There are cafés and gift shops in the Clock Tower and other garden areas.
- The palace's phone number is +90 212 236 90 00.
With kids
- Allow about 3 hours to see everything.
Interesting facts5
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Purchase records show the sultan paid for the 750-bulb chandelier; it was not a gift from a queen.
Dolmabahçe-Palast - Wikipedia -
Besides the main building, the palace has a glasshouse, a foundry, an aviary and a stable.
Dolmabahçe Sarayı | Milli Saraylar -
Its foundations were laid on trunks of chestnut trees.
Dolmabahçe Sarayı - Wikipedia -
236 days
Sultan Abdülhamid spent only 236 days in the palace.
Dolmabahçe Sarayı - Wikipedia -
2022
In 2022, two delegations met here for ceasefire talks.
Palais de Dolmabahçe - Wikipedia
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History
Before the palace, the site was a bay that looked like a natural harbour, and ships often sheltered there. In the Ottoman period the fleet anchored in the bay, and naval ceremonies were held there. The first and second Turkish Language Congresses met here in 1934. Atatürk also hosted visiting monarchs, among them Faysal and Abdullah. The museum drew 1,384,383 visitors in 2024.
- 17th centuryThe bay was filled in and turned into the sultans' garden, Dolmabahçe.
- 1843Sultan Abdülmecid I had the old wooden kiosks pulled down and ordered this palace built in their place.
- 1856The court moved in from Topkapı, which lacked the modern luxury of the new palace. Six sultans lived here until 1924.
- 1924The caliphate was abolished. The last caliph, Abdülmecid II, left the palace, and a law passed it to the national heritage of the new republic.
- 1927Mustafa Kemal Atatürk began using the palace as a summer residence and did some of his most important work here.
Show all
- 1938Atatürk died here on 10 November, in room 71.
- 1984The palace opened to visitors as a museum-palace.
- 2022Delegations held ceasefire talks in the palace.
Photo spots
- Sea approachComing in by sea, the palace sits on the left bank, facing Üsküdar and Kuzguncuk. The main building runs parallel to the shore.On the Bosphorus, approaching by sea On the map
Tours and audio guides
- Audio guide
- Several languages, free of charge Available at the ticket office.
How to get there
- TramServed by the Istanbul T1 tram line.
Sources: Dolmabahçe Palace - Wikipedia · Istanbul/European Bosphorus - Wikivoyage (see) · Dolmabahçe Sarayı | Milli Saraylar · Dolmabahçe-Palast - Wikipedia · Palais de Dolmabahçe - Wikipedia · Dolmabahçe Sarayı - Wikipedia · Dolmabahce Palace: tickets (its own site) · checked 18 Oct 2026
- Phone
- +90 212 236 90 00
Questions and answers
How long does a visit to Dolmabahçe Palace take?
Allow about 3 hours to see everything in the palace.
What are the opening hours of Dolmabahçe Palace?
The palace is open Tuesday to Sunday, from 09:00 to 17:00.
Can I buy tickets for Dolmabahçe Palace online?
Yes, tickets can be bought online on the palace's own website. The Müzeumkart pass is not accepted.
Is there a free audio guide at Dolmabahçe Palace?
Yes. The free audio guide comes in several languages. It is available at the ticket office.
Where is Dolmabahçe Palace and how do I get there?
It stands in Beşiktaş on the European shore of the Bosphorus, at Dolmabahçe Caddesi, Vişnezade Mahallesi, Istanbul. The Istanbul T1 tram line serves it.
What is the phone number of Dolmabahçe Palace?
The palace's phone number is +90 212 236 90 00.
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