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Dolmabahce Palace |
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 Dolmabahce Palace is one of the most imposing and beautiful pieces of architecture along the Bosphorus. It was built between 1843 and 1855 by Garabet Amira Balyan and Nigogayos Balyan in a synthesis of European architectural styles. The palace stands on extensive grounds covering approximately 250,000 sqm. The wall and ceiling decorations of the palace are the work of Italian and French artists who employed large quantities of gold leaf. Paintings were made on plaster and the artistic detail that adorns the ceiling was designed to add to the grandeur of the architecture. In total, the palace is decorated with 141 carpets, 115 prayer rugs, 36 chandeliers, 581 crystal and silver candle holders, 280 vases, 158 clocks, and 600 paintings. The palace stands on what was once a major port for Ottoman naval ships. In the 17th century, the area was filled and converted into an imperial garden for imperial entertainment. Over time, chalets and pavilions were built in this garden and named the Besiktas Coastal Palace.
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 This period was followed by a time when sultans
preferred to reside in palaces located in Besiktas and Ortakoy
rather than stay in Topkapı Palace. Eventually, after residing
in the old Besiktas Palace for a while, Sultan Abdulmecid I
ordered the construction of a European inspired palace for his
permanent residence and as a summer resort where state affairs
could take place.
The design of the palace was intended to impress visiting
dignitaries with its modern and ornate architecture as well as
its location which stretches 600 meters along the European shore
of the Bosphorus. Sultan Abdulmecid was able to reside for only
6 months in Dolmabahce Palace, which was completed at a cost of
5 million Ottoman gold coins. Most of the sultans who followed
were also unable to utilize the palace due to a variety of
reasons such as dethroning incidents which caused them to
retreat to Yildiz Palace, fear of assassination, and finally by
the collapse of the empire Consequently, this glorious structure
has mostly served as a place to host state ceremonies or
accommodate emperors of foreign states. This continued after the
establishment of the Turkish Republic in 1923. Shah Pahlavi of
Iran, King Faisal of Iraq, King Abdullah of Jordan, Shah
Amanullah of Afghanistan, King Edward of England and King
Alexander of Yugoslavia were all guests at Dolmabahce Palace.
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 The palace has become an important
part of Turkey's national history since Mustafa Kemal Ataturk,
the founder of the Republic,
often stayed in the palace when he was in istanbul, hosted
foreign dignitaries there and held grand balls. Ataturk also
spent his last days in Dolmabahce where he died in 1938.
The palace hosted such famous guests as Italian President
Giovanni Gronchi, Indonesian Prime Minister Sukarno and French
Prime Minister General Charles de Gaulle before being turned
into a museum in 1952.
Today, the Palace Garden continues to host important events in
istanbul.
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Clock Collection |
| Clocks of the 18th and 19th
centuries were not only devices that measured time but also were
admired for their decorative detail. Dolmabahce Palace, also
built in the 19th century, possesses many clocks from this
century as well as a few clocks designed in the previous century.
Some of these clocks were given to the palace as gifts while
some were purchased or ordered by the craftsmen on staff
Dolmabahce Palace's clock collection includes French clocks that
are gilded in gold, elegant British clocks and attractive works
of Turkish craftsmen. |
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Architectural structure of the palace |
 The Dolmabahce Palace architecture has
influences of French Baroque, German Rococo, English Neo-classical,
and Italian Renaissance styles. The side of the palace that faces the Bosphoros is distinctly inspired by this synthesis of
European styles while the area encompassing the garden is
distinguished by an Oriental influence, with high walls and
detached units. The palace has three floors and a symmetrical
plan. It has 285 rooms and 43 halls. The ceremony hall and
ballroom have higher ceilings compared to other paris of the
palace and are located in the center. The 36 meter high ceilings
of the ballroom make it the highest palace ballroom in the
world. Impressive aspects of the ballroom design are the 56
columns and an elegant English
made crystal chandelier weighing
4.5 tons which is illuminated with 750 lights. The paintings and
gold ornamentation that adorn the walls and ceiling of the
palace were created by European artists of the era. The orginal
furniture interior decoration, silk carpets, curtains, and all
other items of the palace have been preserved.
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Anatolian Kavak and Lighthouse