Istanbul lives on two continents and grows along two coastlines. If you wish to visit Istanbul, you will find many landmarks are in the 'must-see' lists. Mosques rise beside glass towers, and ferries glide under bridges that join Europe and Asia. In this layered city, every neighborhood has a story that reaches back centuries. Today we will talk about one landmrk which can be missed if you are not careful.
Cross the Bosphorus to Üsküdar and you meet Beylerbeyi Palace. The white-marble residence stands almost at water level, catching the light in the strait. It was once a royal summer home. Today it is an easy ferry ride, and it still feels like a hidden retreat on the busy Asian shore.
History of Beylerbeyi Palace
The first palace on this spot was a wooden retreat for Sultan Mahmud II. A fire in 1851 left only ashes. Sultan Abdülaziz wanted something grand and built the present palace between 1861 and 1865 with architects Sarkis and Hagop Balyan. The style mixes Ottoman grace with the popular French Second Empire look of the time.
Soon after its completion, the palace welcomed famous guests. Empress Eugénie of France stayed here in 1869 on her way to open the Suez Canal and loved the windows so much she copied them for her bedroom in Paris. Later rulers such as Naser al-Din Shah of Iran and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor also slept under its painted ceilings.
In the turbulent final years of the empire, the deposed Sultan Abdülhamid II spent his last days here under guarded comfort until his death in 1918.
Beylerbeyi Palace Today
Let's have a look at the today's Beylerbeyi Palace as a museum for you to visit. Step through the gate and you hear fountains instead of traffic. Inside, cool marble floors meet silk carpets. Crystal chandeliers hang above a deep indoor pool that kept the rooms fresh in summer.
The palace has six grand halls and twenty-four rooms, each one filled with a blend of French furniture and Turkish craftsmanship.
Visitors may explore Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The site is closed on Monday. Plan about ninety minutes to wander, breathe in the sea air from the terraces, and peek into the pavilions in the garden.
Local Tips for Visiting Beylerbeyi Palace
Arrive early. Doors open at 9:00 AM and the calm water feels almost glass-still in the morning light. You will have the salons to yourself for a few precious minutes before day-trippers cross the bridge from Europe. If you stay on the European side, take the Beşiktaş ferry to Üsküdar right after breakfast, then hop on a short bus ride bound for Beylerbeyi. From Kadıköy, a fifteen-minute taxi or the 15C bus slides along the coast with Bosphorus views the whole way.
The palace provides thin plastic shoe covers at the door. Slip-ons or sandals make the process quick and spare your laces. Photography is welcome in the garden and pavilions but rarely allowed in the main halls, so keep a phone ready outside and a wide-angle lens packed away once you step in. Guides sometimes rush larger groups, but with your audio guide you can linger. Sit on the wooden benches beside the indoor pool and let the trickling water lower the summer heat.
After touring, walk five minutes north to Beylerbeyi Pier. Order a Turkish tea at the small café under the plane trees and watch tankers glide under the Bosphorus Bridge. If you have extra time, stroll to Çengelköy for pistachio-filled pastries at a waterside bakery or climb the hill behind the palace to Kuzguncuk, a former Greek-Jewish quarter lined with colorful wooden houses.
Evenings are cooler, yet the palace closes at 5:00 PM, so plan that neighborhood detour before sunset. Weekends can be busy with bridal photo shoots; mid-week visits feel more relaxed.
Use your Istanbul Tourist Pass® public-transport card to tap in on ferries and buses, saving lira for baklava instead of tickets. A little planning means more time soaking up the sea breeze and the quiet elegance that still floats through Beylerbeyi’s marble halls.
Explore with Istanbul Tourist Pass®
Your Istanbul Tourist Pass® includes a fast online ticket and an exclusive audio guide for Beylerbeyi Palace. Show your QR code at the gate, skip the line, and start listening. The guide walks you through the State Apartments, the private Harem, and the Garden Pavilion at your own pace. You can pause for photos or stay longer in any salon without watching a clock.
The pass also unlocks more than one hundred other attractions across the city, plus handy perks like a public-transport card and airport transfer discounts. One purchase covers everything on either side of the Bosphorus, so your travel budget stretches further.
So, are you ready for royal living? Pick your Istanbul Tourist Pass® today, head to the Asian shore, and let Beylerbeyi Palace welcome you with Bosphorus breezes and stories carved in stone.
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