| Beylerbeyi Palace | |
|---|---|
.jpg) A view of Beylerbeyi Palace from theBosporus | |
 Interactive map of the Beylerbeyi Palace area | |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Ottoman,Second Empire |
| Location | Istanbul,Turkey |
| Coordinates | 41°02′33″N29°02′24″E / 41.04250°N 29.04000°E /41.04250; 29.04000 |
| Construction started | 1861 |
| Client | Ottoman sultans |
| Owner | Government of Turkey |
| Technical details | |
| Structural system | Main palace, pavilions and gardens |
| Design and construction | |
| Architects | Hagop Balyan,Sarkis Balyan |
TheBeylerbeyi Palace (Turkish:Beylerbeyi Sarayı) is a 19th-century Ottoman palace located in theBeylerbeyi neighborhood ofIstanbul’sÜsküdar district, on the Asian shore of theBosporus. Commissioned by SultanAbdulaziz and completed between 1861 and 1865, the palace served as a summer residence and a place to host foreign dignitaries. Its design combines European architectural influences, particularlyNeo-Baroque, with traditional Ottoman interior decoration.[1] Today, it functions as a museum open to the public.
Beylerbeyi Palace was commissioned by SultanAbdülaziz (1830–1876) and constructed between 1861 and 1865 to serve as a summer residence and a venue for hosting visiting heads of state.[2]Empress Eugénie of France visited Beylerbeyi on her way to the opening of theSuez Canal in 1869. Empress Eugénie of France was so delighted by the elegance of the palace that she had a copy of the window in the guest room made for her bedroom inTuileries Palace, in Paris.[3] The palace also welcomed other distinguished visitors such as the DukeEdward VII and DuchessAlexandra of Denmark.[4]
In addition to its role as a summer retreat for Ottoman sultans, Beylerbeyi Palace functioned as an official state guesthouse. It hosted prominent figures includingFranz Joseph, Emperor of Austria-Hungary (1869);Nicholas, King of Montenegro (1874); andWilhelm II, German Emperor.[5] After his dethronement, SultanAbdülhamid II spent the last six years of his life at the palace, dying there in 1918.[6]
Beylerbeyi Palace was designed bySarkis Balyan in theSecond Empire style. It is simpler in design compared to earlier palaces such asDolmabahçe andKüçüksu. The palace is best seen from the Bosphorus, where two separate bathing pavilions can be seen: one for theharem (women’s quarters) and one for theselamlık (men’s quarters).
The palace’s interior design blends Western and Eastern influences and reflects features typical of traditional Turkish homes. This three-story building, including the basement, contains 24 rooms and 6 halls. The floors are covered with Egyptian straw mats. The rooms and halls are decorated with Turkish Hereke carpets, FrenchBaccarat crystal chandeliers, and clocks made in Istanbul’sHaliç (Golden Horn) Dockyard from England, France, and Turkey. Additionally, porcelain vases from China, Japan, France, Germany, and Turkey’s Yıldız region add to the palace’s ornate decoration.[6]
Media related toBeylerbeyi Palace at Wikimedia Commons
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