PALACES OF ISTANBUL
YILDIZ ŞALE PAVILION
Yildiz Şale Pavilion was created during the reign of Sultan Abdulhamid II and is the best-preserved structure among the architectural works from the Yildiz Palace complex that have survived to this day. The pavilion was named after the French term “chalet,” which means “cottage,” and is located inside a huge garden enclosed by high walls. It is made up of three different buildings created on different dates.
With no clear information on the architect of the first part of the pavilion built-in 1880, the second part which was completed in 1889 was designed by Sarkis Balyan, and the third part built-in 1898 was designed by the famous Italian Architect Raimondo D’ Aronco. Designed to be made completely with wood and stone, the landscape gardening of Sale Pavilion was done by Turkish and German architects.
The eye-catching garden in front of the pavilion located in the area of Yildiz Palace Complex referred to as the third courtyard reaches towards Yildiz Park.
Address: Yildiz, YTU No:30, 34349 Besiktas/Istanbul
Phone: +90 212 259 45 70
Closed for ongoing restoration.
MECIDIYE (BEYKOZ) PAVILION
Mecidiye Pavilion, known as “a marble mansion,” is one of Istanbul’s oldest pavilions. Mecidiye Pavilion, also known as Beykoz Pavilion, is located in Beykoz’s Hunkar Iskelesi (“Sultan’s Pier”) district.
The pavilion, which was created as a gift for Sultan Abdulmejid by Governor of Egypt Mehmed Ali Pasha, began construction in 1845 and was completed in 1854. The pavilion, which was used as a boarding pavilion for the first few years of its construction, was later used for daily lodging and official gatherings.
The pavilion was constructed with beautiful wood art features in mind. The amazing foliage and stones used on the outside were taken from Italy, according to historical documents. Furthermore, gold plating was applied throughout the interior. Beykoz Pavilion was added to the TBMM Directorate of National Palaces due to its significance. The neo-classical architectural elements were restored in a short length of time.
Address: Yalikoy, Beykoz Kasri, 34820 Beykoz
Phone: +90 212 236 90 00
Between 09.00-16.30
Closed on Monday
MALTA KIOSK
Sultan Abdulaziz built the kiosk, which is located within Yildiz Park, in 1871. Despite the fact that the architect is unknown, it is considered to be Italian architect Fossati. One of the palace’s two big pools may be found in front of Malta Kiosk, on the left side of the entrance to Yildiz Park. Beltur has been using Malta Kiosk for food and beverage services since 1997.
Address: Yildiz Mahallesi, Yildiz Korusu No:53, 34349 Besiktas
Phone: +90 212 258 94 53
Email: maltakosku@beltur.com.tr
The kiosk operates as a restaurant and a cafeteria
Every day between 09.00 – 23.00.
KUCUKSU PAVILION
This Pavilion, also known as “Göksu Pavilion,” is located in the Küçüksu district, across the Bogazici Uskudar-Beykoz coastal route, and was finished in 1856. It was built on Sultan Abdulmejid’s orders by Nigogos Balyan. In 1983, it was designated as a museum. The Pavilion is still used as a museum palace and recreational site, having undergone substantial renovations and improvements that began in 1992 and took four years to complete.
Address: Goksu, Kucuksu Cad. 34815 Beykoz
Phone: +90 216 332 33 03
Between 09.00-16.30
Closed on Monday
IHLAMUR PAVILION
Ihlamur Pavilion is located between Besiktas and Nisantasi in the Ihlamur Recreation Area. Nigogos Balyan erected two pavilions on the order of Abdulmejid between 1839 and 1861, dubbed “Ceremonial Pavilion” and “Court Pavilion.” The Ceremonial Pavilion was the first Ihlamur Pavilion, and it was utilized for ceremonies, while the Court Pavilion was used for the Sultan’s cortege. Both pavilions have elements of Baroque architecture.
The Ceremonial Pavilion is now open to the public as a museum.
The Court Pavilion’s garden is used as a resting and relaxation space. The repair efforts that took place in 1987 gave the structures that were offered to tourists as a museum palace in 1985 their current form.
Address: Tesvikiye Mah. Av. Sureyya Agaoglu Sok. No:80, 34365 Sisli
Phone: +90 212 259 50 86
Between 09.00-16.30
Closed on Monday
KHEDIVE’S PALACE
The Khedive’s Palace is a historic building in Beykoz-Cubuklu. It was built in 1907 by Egypt’s Khedive (Viceroy) of the Ottoman Empire, Abbas II of Egypt. Delfo Seminati, an Italian architect, designed it. The palace is significant because it combines art nouveau and Ottoman architectural styles from the time period. The Khedive’s Palace is situated on a bluff overlooking the Bosporus.
The palace has been used as a restaurant and a social complex since 1996 when its management was passed to Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. With its history, architecture, landscape, and rose gardens, Khedive’s Palace is regarded as the ideal location for visitors who want to enjoy the view of the Bosporus while learning about Istanbul’s recent history.
Address: Cubuklu Korusu Cubuklu Yolu No:32 Beykoz
Phone: +90 216 413 96 64, +90 216 425 06 03, +90 216 425 06 04
Email: hidivkasri@beltur.com.tr
Between 09.00 :23.00
TILED KIOSK
It is a 1472 kiosk perched on the top of Topkapi Palace’s exterior walls. Mehmed the Conqueror (Mehmed II) built it to be used as a summer residence or kiosk. Despite the fact that the architect is unknown, some sources claim that Mimar Atik Sinan is the architect.
Between 1875 until 1891, the Tiled Kiosk, also known as the Glazed Kiosk, served as the “Muze-i Humayun” (Imperial Museum). It was later renamed the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts and opened to the public in 1953. Later, it became part of the Istanbul Archaeology Museums. The museum houses examples of Iznik pottery and ceramics from the Ottoman and Seljuk periods.
Address: Alemdar Cad. Osman Hamdi Bey Yokusu Sok. Gulhane Fatih IstanbulPhone: +90 212 520 77 40
Between 09.00: 18.00
Days Closed: Monday
AYNALIKAVAK PAVILION
After the Ottoman Empire’s palaces in Dolmabahce, Topkapi, and Uskudar, Aynalikavak Palace, located in the Golden Horn, is Istanbul’s fourth-largest palace. Only the Aynalikavak Pavilion has survived from this complex, which was also known as Shipyard Palace due to the nearby shipyard.
The grounds of the palace, which is built on a grove and is said to have been the emperors’ recreation and walking place during the Byzantine era, spreads over a broad area between Okmeydani, Haskoy, and Kasimpasa. The Aynalikavak Pavilion is one of the most magnificent relics of classical Ottoman architecture today, with its intricacies expressing the whole taste of the period.
Address: Haskoy, Aynali Kavak Cad. 34445 Beyoglu
Phone: +90 212 236 90 00
Between 09.00-16.30
Closed on Mondays.
YILDIZ PALACE
The Palace, which is located in the Besiktas neighborhood, is considered the last example of Turkish-Ottoman architecture. This palace was built for Sultan Selim III’s mother, Mihrimah Sultan. Sultan Abdulhamid II of the Ottoman Empire utilized the Palace as a home and political palace for 33 years. From the 17th to the 19th centuries, many expansions to the palace, which covers an area of 500,000 square meters, were erected.
Yildiz Sale, Kucuk Mabeyn Kiosk, Yildiz Palace Mabeyn Kiosk, Cihannuma Kiosk, and Yildiz Theatre are among the structures in Yildiz Palace’s grounds. The Yildiz Porcelain Factory, which has been in operation since 1944, is also located within Yildiz Palace. The factory’s porcelain items are on exhibit here. Three museums are now housed in Yildiz Palace. Yildiz Palace Museum, Yildiz Theatre, and City Museum are the three museums.
Address: Address: Barbaros Bulvari, Serencebey Yokusu, Yildiz Parki Muzesi – Besiktas / Istanbul
Phone: +90 212 258 30 80
TOPKAPI PALACE
Topkapi Palace is located in Sarayburnu, one of Istanbul’s oldest historical districts, on the Historical Peninsula. The construction of the palace began in 1460 under Mehmed the Conqueror’s orders and was completed in 1468. From Mehmed the Conqueror until the 31st Sultan Abdulmejid, the palace served as the center of governance, education, and art, as well as a residence for the sultans for a 400-year period.
For this reason, this palace is historically significant. Topkapi Palace was converted into a museum after the Republic of Turkey was founded, and it is the Republic’s first museum. Topkapi Palace, with its structures, architecture, collections, and nearly 300,000 archived papers, is one of the world’s largest palace museums, covering approximately 300,000 square meters.
Address: Cankurtaran, 34122 Fatih/Istanbul
DOLMABAHCE PALACE
The Besiktas coastline region, where the 19th-century Dolmabahce Palace is located, has historically witnessed the Bosporus’ maritime activity as one of its bays. Aside from the Ottoman Empire’s culture and reign, the impact of innovation and modernization brought by the era had an impact on the palaces of the Ottoman Empire. Dolmabahce Palace, Istanbul’s third-largest palace, was the most magnificent structure brought about by this refurbishment.
The Palace has a spectacular view of the Bosporus.
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, our Republic’s founder, and first President lived in Dolmabahce Palace from 1927 to 1938 and continued his official duties there until his death on November 10, 1938. In 1984, the palace was opened to the public as a museum and a palace.
Address: Visnezade, Dolmabahce Cad. 34357 Besiktas/Istanbul
Phone: +90 212 236 90 00
CIRAGAN PALACE
Ciragan Palace was erected between 1863 and 1871 by Sultan Abdulaziz in a remarkable site between Besiktas and Ortakoy. Nikogos Balyan and his sons Sarkis and Agop Balyan designed the structure. Ciragan Palace, which has survived from the Ottoman era to the present day, has elements of baroque architecture.
Ciragan Palace’s architecture gave special attention to creating geometric harmony among the palace’s ornaments. Today, the palace attracts the curiosity of both local and foreign tourists due to its attractive architecture and location, which hosts important events and marriage ceremonies.
It contributes greatly to Istanbul’s historical character as one of the most important structures in the city’s history. As a result, Ciragan Palace remains at the top of the list of things to see in Istanbul. Ciragan Palace now serves as a hotel known as the “Kempinski Hotel.”
Address: Ciragan Palace Kempinski, Ciragan Caddesi No:32 Besiktas / Istanbul
Phone: +90 212 326 46 46
BEYLERBEYI PALACE
Since the Byzantine Era, Beylerbeyi Palace and its grounds have been home to a variety of structures. Mahmud II erected Beylerbeyi Palace between 1863 and 1865. The main edifice of Beylerbeyi, which houses the Mabeyn and Harem sectors, is open to visitors today.
Sea Pavilions, Marble Pavilion, Yellow Pavilion, and Stables Pavilion are the supplementary buildings of Beylerbeyi Palace, in addition to the main edifice. Each pavilion was constructed in a suitable position and under a structure to serve a distinct purpose.
Beylerbeyi Palace, which reflects Western design on the outside and classical Ottoman architecture on the inside, was regularly used as a summer palace and the state’s guest home. Beylerbeyi Palace, which was originally used as a State Guest House for high-ranking national guests, once hosted prominent political figures of the time, including Empress Eugénie, wife of French Emperor Napoleon III, and German Emperor Wilhelm II.
Address: Abdullahaga Cad. 34676 Beylerbeyi / Uskudar
Phone: +90 216 321 93 20
ŞEREFIYE CISTERN
Emperor Theodosius II built the Serefiye Cistern between 428 and 443 to store the water from the Bozdogan Aqueduct (Valens Aqueduct). This cistern has functioned as the building that supplied water to Istanbul for centuries, with the Cistern of Philoxenos built in the 4th century and the Basilica Cistern built in the 6th century.
Serefiye Cistern, which stands 9 meters tall and has a roof supported by 32 marble columns, is also known as Constantine and Theodosius. After the landscaping operation, the area was made into an archaeological park with the dismantling of the reinforced concrete structures located surrounding the cistern.
The cistern, which opened to domestic and foreign tourists on April 24, 2018, hosts a variety of culture and art events, including classical music concerts and exhibitions. Every Saturday at 17:30 p.m., beginning in 2019, acoustic music concerts will be performed for the enjoyment of tourists.
Address: Binbirdirek Mah. Piyer Loti Cad. No:2/1, 34122 Fatih
Phone: +90 212 568 60 80
Between 09.00-18.00, every day excluding Saturday;
TEKFUR PALACE
Tekfur Palace, also known as the “royal residence” in Turkish history, was built between Edirnekapi and Egrikapi, on the outskirts of Istanbul. The builder and date of the palace’s construction have yet to be determined.
Tekfur Palace is significant because it depicts Byzantine civilian architecture and is the only palace building that has survived to the present day. The Palace was known for its ceramics, which were dubbed “The Pottery of Tekfur Palace” throughout history. It was used as a ceramics workshop during the Byzantine Period.
As a result, Tekfur Palace could be regarded Istanbul’s oldest ceramics workshop. This historical edifice, which is thought to have endured for about a thousand years, was converted into a museum in 2006 after the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality completed meticulous rehabilitation work.
Address: Ayvansaray Mah. Sishane Cad. 34087 Fatih
Phone: +90 212 525 61 30
Between 09.00 – 18.00
BASILICA CISTERN
The Basilica Cistern, located southwest of Hagia Sophia, is another outstanding ancient structure in Istanbul. The locals dubbed this vast underground cistern erected by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I (527-565) the “Sunken Cistern” because of its innumerable marble pillars emerging from the groundwater. It’s also known as the Basilica Cistern since it used to be a basilica on the same site as the cistern.
The cistern is a massive building that spans 140 meters in length and 70 meters in width and covers a rectangle-shaped space. This cistern contains 336 9-meter-tall pillars that may be reached through 52-step stone stairs. This cistern, which covers a total area of 9,800 m2, can hold 100,000 tons of water.
Medusa’s Head: The two Medusa heads that serve as bases for the two pillars in the cistern’s northwest corner are masterpieces of Roman sculpture. The origins of these Medusa heads, which draw the most interest from tourists, are unknown.
Address: Alemdar Mah. Yerebatan Cad. 1/3 34410 Sultanahmet-Fatih
Phone: +90 212 512 15 70
Email: info@yerebatan.com
Between 09.00 – 17.30.
