Dolmabahçe Palace

A blend of various European architectural styles, this palace was built between 1843-1856 by Karabet Balyan, the court architect of Sultan Abdulmecid. The Dolmabahçe Palace was home to six sultans from 1856, when it was first inhabited, up until the abolition of the Caliphate in 1924. This three-storied palace has 285 rooms and 43 halls. There is a 600 m long quay along the sea and two monumental gates, one of them very ornate, on the land side. Well-kept, beautiful gardens surround this seaside palace. The entrance section of the palace was used for the receptions and meetings of the sultan, and the wing behind the ballroom used as the harem section. The palace has survived intact with its original decorations, furniture, and the silk carpets and curtains. The walls and the ceilings are covered with paintings by the famous artists of the age and decorations made using tons of gold. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder and first President of the Republic of Turkey, used the palace as a presidential residence during the summers and he died here in 1938.