European side · Beşiktaş
Dolmabahçe Palace
The last great imperial residence, on the European shore of the Bosphorus.
Book tickets onlineHistory
The site was once a bay where the Ottoman fleet anchored. From the seventeenth century it was filled in and laid out as an imperial garden — the name means “filled-in garden” — and a wooden waterfront palace stood here until the reign of Sultan Abdülmecid.
Abdülmecid had the old palace pulled down and the present one built between 1843 and 1856. Members of the Balyan family, among them Karabet and Nikogos Balyan, worked on it with Ohannes Serveryan and James William Smith. The building joins the Ottoman palace tradition and the central-hall plan of the Turkish house to Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassical forms.
Six sultans lived here from 1856, and the last caliph after them. Atatürk stayed at the palace on and off between 1927 and 1938 and died here on 10 November 1938. It opened as a museum palace, with its original furnishings, in 1984.
What to see
The Selamlık
The state rooms where the sultan received officials and guests, including the Crystal Staircase.
The Ceremonial Hall
The domed hall between the Selamlık and the Harem, used for the great religious-holiday receptions.
The Harem
The family’s private apartments, and the rooms where Atatürk lived and died.
The furnishings
Hereke carpets, Baccarat crystal, Sèvres and Yıldız porcelain, gifts from foreign rulers and paintings by European artists — most of it where it was used.
The Clock Tower
Added in the reign of Abdülhamid II, beside the main entrance. It is the landmark most visitors meet first.
The size of it
285 rooms, 44 halls, 68 toilets and 6 baths in one block of about 14,600 m² — the largest palace building in Türkiye.
Book your Dolmabahçe Palace tickets online
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- Entry booked for your chosen date
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before your visit
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Before you go
- The palace is closed on Mondays. On 10 November, the anniversary of Atatürk’s death, it opens even when the date falls on a Monday.
- The Müzekart is not valid for the Selamlık.
- The visit follows a set route; photography indoors and bags are subject to the operator’s rules at the entrance.
- The T1 tram ends at Kabataş, a short walk from the palace gates.
Questions
Can I book Dolmabahçe online?
Yes. The National Palaces e-ticket system sells it, and so do authorised resellers such as dolmabahcepalacemuseum.org. Tickets are also sold at the palace.
Which day is Dolmabahçe closed?
Monday. The ticket office is open from 09:00 to 17:00 on the other days.