Beylerbeyi Palace is the largest and the most elegant Ottoman Palace on the Asian Shore of the Bosphorus. The palace is open everyday except Monday and Thusday from 9:00 am. To 12:30 pm, half past one pm to six pm.
The palace and the neighbourhood was named for a Beylerbeyi, a title which means "lord of the lords", this was Mehmet Pasha, Governer of Rumelia (Turkish territory in European Side). The 1. Sultan who resided here was II. Mahmud. It's constructed in 1861 to 1865 by Sarkis Balyan, a famous Armenian architect. 500 people from all over Anatolia including the best masters worked for the building. They're all paid by the Sultan. It's mainly used as a summer residence, 1. famous visitor was French Impress Eugenie in 1861, later visitors were Franz Joseph of Austria, King Edward of England. The palace is now used as a museum.
The palace is divided into two sections as the other Ottoman Palaces, selamlik and harem. Selamlik was the section which was open to men and where the meetings, receptions took place. The building is a three storey one, the first one was for service departments, the upper 2 was for state rooms and imperial apartments, a total of 26 elegantly designed chambers, 6 grand halls. It's very elegant in general, with Hereke Carpets, Czech Bohemian Crystal Chandeliers, French Clocks, Chinese, Japanese and French Vases, furniture from Damascus and France, paintings from Russian Aivazovsky.
Unlike the other palaces, there's not heating system in this palace, because it's only used for summer - time purposes. There's a marble pool with a fountain which operates as a natural air conditioning. Another dot about the palace is its very European atmosphere. The gardens and the design of the rooms display this. The kitchens of the palace are located in the adjacent building, because the smell of the food disturbed the sultan and there's the risk of fire.
Right by the Bosphorus Bridge and the waterfront, the palace is lovely and worth visiting. The tours are behavioured in Turkish and English and a must join the tour group which will be leaded by the Palace Guide.
Beylerbeyi Palace Directorate, Uskudar / Istanbul / Turkey
Telephone : +90 216 321 93 20 - 21
Fax : +90 216 321 93 22