One of the most magnificent monuments of the Ottoman Empire’s westernization era, Dolmabahçe Palace is marking the 170th anniversary of its opening this year.
Commissioned by Sultan Abdülmecid and inaugurated on June 7, 1856, the palace continues to stand as a symbol of both the empire’s final century and the formative years of the Turkish Republic.
Located on the Beşiktaş waterfront, the palace complex covers 110,000 square meters on land that was once a natural bay. The area, which was gradually filled in during the reign of Sultan Osman II and came to be known as “Dolmabahçe,” later became part of the imperial gardens and the Beşiktaş Coastal Palace. Today, it is among Istanbul’s most important cultural and historical landmarks.
The sprawling complex includes the Mabeyn (State Apartments), the Ceremonial Hall, the Imperial Harem and the Crown Prince’s quarters, as well as structures such as the Bezmialem Valide Sultan Mosque, the Imperial Stables, the Palace Theater, the Clock Tower and several treasury and furnishing buildings.
According to Güller Karahüseyin, head of the Museums and Promotion Department at the National Palaces Administration, construction of the palace began in 1843 and was completed in 1856.
“Various sources indicate that construction started on June 13, 1843. The work progressed section by section, and each section bears Sultan Abdülmecid’s imperial monogram along with the date of its completion,” Karahüseyin said.
She noted that the sultan moved into the palace on June 7, 1856 and that contemporary reports in the newspaper Ceride-i Havadis recorded him receiving state officials there the following day.
“This palace demonstrates the stage that westernization and modernization had reached in the Ottoman Empire. We see the influence of Western artistic styles such as Rococo, Baroque and Empire throughout the palace. Yet despite its Western appearance, Dolmabahçe Palace preserved deep-rooted traditions and reflects the characteristic features of the Turkish way of life,” she said.
Karahüseyin explained that the main building consists of three principal sections: the Mabeyn-i Hümayun, or state apartments; the Ceremonial Hall; and the Imperial Harem.
“The Mabeyn was the center of state administration and the place where the empire was represented at the highest level through the person of the sultan. For that reason, it features particularly lavish decoration,” she said.
She also highlighted the palace’s embrace of contemporary technology, noting that a gasworks was built to provide heating and lighting, in line with developments elsewhere in the world.
The Ceremonial Hall hosted official holiday receptions as well as major state events, while the harem reflected a more traditional architectural style.
“The harem section features simpler decoration and follows the layout of a traditional Turkish house, with central halls opening onto individual rooms. It was here that the characteristic features of Turkish family life were most visible,” Karahüseyin said.
Apartments in the harem housed the Valide Sultan, consorts and their families. The residences extended across four floors, including the basement and attic, and were connected by shared halls that served as spaces for social interaction.
Karahüseyin emphasized that the National Palaces Administration’s primary goal is to preserve the historic buildings and collections under its care for future generations. Conservation and restoration work on artifacts is carried out by specialist teams, while restoration projects are overseen by scientific advisory boards.
She added that the administration has also embraced digital technologies to improve visitor access and understanding. Audio-guide systems are widely used, and controlled photography has recently been permitted under specific rules.
Visitors are allowed to take amateur photographs without flash in order to protect the buildings and artifacts, while efforts to enhance the overall visitor experience continue.
Beyond its architectural significance, Dolmabahçe Palace occupies a unique place in modern Turkish history. It served as the residence of the last six Ottoman sultans and the final caliph, Abdülmecid Efendi, before becoming an important center of state administration during the Republican era.
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk carried out part of his work at the palace between 1927 and 1938, including some of the earliest applications of the Latin alphabet reform. The palace is also remembered as the place where Atatürk died on Nov. 10, 1938, cementing its status as one of the most significant witnesses to the history of the republic.
