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Dolmabahce Palace Museum Guided Tour
Guided Museum Tours
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The Largest Palace: Dolmabahce Palace Museum Guided Tour
Guided Museum Tours
Price Without Pass: €38
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Discover The Iconic Residence Of The Sultans Of The Ottoman Empire!
Get ready to dive into thousands of wonderful stories, legends, treasures, and Sultan’s life! You will be amazed by Dolmabahce Palace Harem, the blue hall, and the pink hall. You will discover the most strategic place of the palace called the Hunkar office and the private office.
Exploring Dolmabahce in the best way is so easy with the Istanbul Tourist Pass! You will enjoy hearing the hidden stories, architecture, and history of Dolmabahce Palace with Istanbul Tourist Pass guides!
Check out our Guided Tours Timetable and add Dolmabahce Palace into your Istanbul itinerary today!
About The Dolmabahce Palace Museum Guided Tour
Mobile ticketing - No need for printed voucher, we're digital!
Duration - 60 Minutes Check Time table to see starting times
Skip the ticket line - Avoid queues!
Instant confirmation - No reservation is required
Guide - English
Highlights
Discover Dolmabahce Palace with a local guide
See the beautiful furnishings, artworks and other priceless treasures!
Learn the magnificent history of Dolmabahce Palace
Includes
An amazing guided tour of Dolmabahce Palace
Entry to Dolmabahce Palace
Professional English-speaking tour guide
Historical and Architectural Construction of Dolmabahçe Palace
The grand Dolmabahçe Palace was the last and likely most expensive residence of the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire. It has 285 rooms, 44 halls, 68 toilets, and six hammams (Turkish baths) and is set along the beautiful waters of the Bosphorus. There are many beautiful furnishings, artworks, and other priceless treasures on display but one of the most spectacular is the 4.5-tonne crystal chandelier hanging in the Grand Ceremonial Hall. It's the largest chandelier in the world!
You will notice that Dolmabahçe Palace has a more European style than Topkapı Palace. In the 19th century, Sultan Abdül Mecit hired Armenian architects, a French decorator, and European artists to build a modern Palace like those of other European Monarchies. The result is the unique mix of traditional Ottoman and Western European styles you see today.
When the Ottoman Empire came to an end and the Turkish Republic was formed, the Palace was used as a State Residence for visiting dignitaries. Later, it became the Presidential Residence of Atatürk in Istanbul.
Today, Dolmabahçe Palace has been completely restored and is a very popular museum. Join our guided tours to find out more interesting facts and see them for yourself!
An amazing skip-the-line guided tour of Dolmabahçe Palace EXCLUDING the Harem
For this amazing experience and more, Buy Your Pass Now! Istanbul Tourist Pass® is here to make your Istanbul trip an unforgettable experience!
Hours & Meeting
Please visit time table for tour hours
How To Get There?
Dolmabahçe Palace is very close to the Kabataş tram station. Take the T1 tram to Kabataş or the funicular from Taksim metro station and get off at Kabataş station. From there, look around for the gas station. Cross the road in that direction and continue past the gas station for about 5 minutes.
Where to meet
You MUST meet with the guide 20 Minutes BEFORE the tour time.
Meeting point for this tour is in front of the Dolmabahce BUFE before the security line.
Get
Directions
Important Information
Skip-the-line is available only with a certificated tour guide.
Access to the Harem is NOT included in your Istanbul Tourist Pass..
Istanbul Tourist Pass holders do not pay admission at Dolmabahçe Palace unless you choose to purchase a ticket to the Harem..
Due to museum's rules, for groups between 5-15 people visitors have to use Audio Guide provided by the museum..
For groups more than 15 people, our guide will provide you headset during the tour..
Dolmabahce Palace Museum Guided Tour Free With
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Avoid paying the entry fees and skip the ticket queues with Istanbul Tourist Pass®.
Dolmabahçe Palace Museum Tour is Included in Istanbul Tourist Pass®️ with English-speaking Professional Guide.
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All About Dolmabahce Palace Museum Guided Tour
Historical and Architectural Construction of Dolmabahçe Palace
The grand Dolmabahçe Palace was the last and likely most expensive residence of the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire. It has 285 rooms, 44 halls, 68 toilets, and six hammams (Turkish baths) and is set along the beautiful waters of the Bosphorus. There are many beautiful furnishings, artworks, and other priceless treasures on display but one of the most spectacular is the 4.5-tonne crystal chandelier hanging in the Grand Ceremonial Hall. It's the largest chandelier in the world!
You will notice that Dolmabahçe Palace has a more European style than Topkapı Palace. In the 19th century, Sultan Abdül Mecit hired Armenian architects, a French decorator, and European artists to build a modern Palace like those of other European Monarchies. The result is the unique mix of traditional Ottoman and Western European styles you see today.
When the Ottoman Empire came to an end and the Turkish Republic was formed, the Palace was used as a State Residence for visiting dignitaries. Later, it became the Presidential Residence of Atatürk in Istanbul.
Today, Dolmabahçe Palace has been completely restored and is a very popular museum. Join our guided tours to find out more interesting facts and see it for yourself!
An amazing skip-the-line guided tour of Dolmabahçe Palace excluding the Harem.
Dolmabahçe Palace has a major role in Turkish history and that’s why it is one of the most important tourist attractions of Istanbul. The lands on which the palace was built as a small bay before the conquest of Istanbul and its surroundings were called Vallicula Regii Horti (small valley of the royal garden). It is claimed that the conquest of Constantinople started here via disembarking the ships to the Golden Horn, which was one of the most important factors in the success of Mehmed the Conqueror to seize the city.
According to Evliya Çelebi, the bay was built in the XVII century. It was filled during the reign of II. Osman (1618-1622) and the coast gained a new look.
Dolmabahce Clock Museum & Dolmabahce Palace Painting Museum
Dolmabahce Palace architecture enchants everyone who sees it. It can make you feel as if you lived in the past with its different sections and many rooms. One of the places you should see when you come to Dolmabahce Palace is Dolmabahce Clock Museum.In 2004, a museum with the National Palaces Clock Collection was opened in the building, specifically in the Harem garden. Dolmabahce Clock Museum is the only clock museum in Turkey. Besides Ottoman works, you can also see European works. The collection of 71 different clocks of 18th and 19th-century works attracts attention.
Dolmabahce Palace Painting Museum, in the heir apartment, has pictures showing the stages of the Ottoman Empire. There are portraits of Sultan Abdulmecid and Sultan Abdulaziz at the entrance. It is possible to see the paintings of different civilizations, such as works from the Goupil Art Gallery in Paris, as well as works that symbolize westernization in the Ottoman Empire, and paintings from Istanbul.
A Palace which Hosted the Great Ottoman Sultans
Abdülmecit was the first to live in Dolmabahce Palace and also carried out his official work here. After Abdulmecit, his brother Abdülaziz lived in this palace. One of the reasons why Dolmabahce Palace is important for the Turkish nation is that Mustafa Kemal Ataturk died there. It was also used as Ataturk's presidential residence in Istanbul. Dolmabahçe, which was used as a private garden at first, started to be filled with buildings built by various Ottoman Sultans over time. The first known structure is the II. Selim's mansion. In 1680, the pavilion belonging to IV. Mehmed was destroyed after a while due to its low use and the negative effect of humidity on the wooden material. the buildings you will see inside Dolmabahce Palace are the Harem, Mabeyn, Clock Tower, and Dolmabahce Mosque. The palace has 285 rooms and 46 lounges, 6 baths, and 68 toilets, and the palace is built on an area of 110 thousand square meters. guided dolmabahçe palace museum, palace dolmabahce, dolmabahçe palace, dolmabahçe palace history, dolmabahce palace tour, dolmabahçe palace hours, dolmabahçe palace dolmabahçe sarayı, dolmabahçe palace tickets, dolmabahçe palace history,dolmabahçe palace hours, istanbul dolmabahçe palace museum, residence of ottoman sultans.
In 1715, as an addition to this pavilion, which was repaired for the residence of III. Ahmed, two more large buildings were built by I. Mahmud. In 1741, the Sultan used these spaces only in the summer.
The buildings around Dolmabahçe, started to expand with the additions made during the III. Osman's period burned down as a result of a fire in 1775. The masonry of the buildings, which were reconsidered with III. Mustafa's accession to the throne was repaired and new pavilions were added to them.
The building was also a summer palace, which was commissioned by III. Selim to the architect Melling. The palace started featuring some elements of the European architectural understanding of that period via renovations and add-on buildings. The Western and Modern Lines in An Eastern Historic Palace
The first Sultan who thought to use this building complex continuously in the Dolmabahçe region was II. Mahmud. For this purpose, the palace was renovated in 1809 and some additions were made and it was brought to a level that could meet new needs.
Raised with a Western upbringing and understanding, his father II. Abdülmecid ordered the demolition of this wooden palace and the construction of today's masonry palace after he took the throne. Abdülmecid gave this order right after his accession to the throne, and the new palace was built and decorated in the style of European palaces with a planimetry and architectural understanding completely different from the historical Topkapı Palace.
That was because of the western influence on Sultan Abdülmecid and his desire to become a European. He wanted to show the world that he will rule the state with the western mentality.
The old palace was demolished and the construction of the new palace started in 1842 when the sultan moved to Yıldız Mansions for a temporary period. The new palace was opened on 7 June 1856. The construction of the palace, which has left its mark on the period in terms of both interior and exterior arrangements, with all its sub-units, was undertaken by the father and son Armenian architects Garabet and Nikogos Balyan, and the interior decoration was done by the decorator of the Paris opera house, Ch. Séchan.
At this point, as a tourist, you should also see, one of the best places to visit in İstanbul: Topkapı Palace to compare the architectural differences between the traditional and modern Ottoman palaces. With Istanbul Tourist Pass, you can enjoy exploring how different Topkapı Palace is from Dolmabahçe Palace.
Step by Step to Nowadays
Dolmabahçe Palace, which is a monumental structure with all its spaces, was used in thirty-five of the sixty-eight years that passed from its construction until the date when Caliph Abdülmecid Efendi left here in 1924. Six Sultans and the last caliph lived here.
The palace, which was included in the scope of "national palaces" after the founding of the Republic, was used as a summer workplace for the president. Especially during Atatürk’s period it was mostly used to welcome foreign statesmen and was also the scene of the First Language and History conventions chaired by Atatürk.
The palace, about which it was decided to open and close to the public for a long time, was the subject of discussion at the National Palaces Symposium held in 1984. Later on, the studies were carried out in line with the decisions taken at this symposium.
Behind the Muayede Hall, the group of buildings consisting of the Birdhouse, Bird Pavilion, Bird Hospital and Glass Pavilion belonging to the period of Sultan Mehmed Reşad was restored and brought back to its original functions.
The lower floor of the corridor was also repaired and put into service primarily as a gallery with bird paintings and photographs. A cafeteria was opened in the historical greenhouse located here, and these side units of the palace were started to be used as an international cultural center.
Dolmabahce Palace Tour
istanbultouristpass.com’s expert staff can make your historical trip even more beautiful. You can visit Dolmabahce Palace with other special buildings, which you can buy from istanbultouristpass.com.
How long to visit Dolmabahce Palace?If you are wondering about this, it takes 1 hour and the Dolmabahce palace admission fee is 16.90 Euro. You should definitely see the various sections inside the Dolmabahce Palace. You can start with the Dolmabahce Palace Harem and see the blue hall and the pink hall. The rooms here are called the Hunkar office and the private office. The room where Ataturk passed away is the special room number 71. Atatürk's working room and bedroom have been preserved to this day. You may be interested in the wristwatch in the room. You should not leave Istanbul without seeing the palace where the memories of the Ottoman Sultans and the Republic period are remembered. In addition, the Dolmabahce Palace clock tower at the entrance to the palace and the Dolmabahce Mosque are among the attractions you can see on your preferred Dolmabahce Palace guided tours. You can get a lot of historical and architectural information from your guide.
You can spend full hours in Istanbul if you are interested in history or architecture and you can gain a different perspective by visiting the Dolmabahce Palace. Since Dolmabahce Palace is the symbol of modernization in the Ottoman Empire, it is possible to see different architectural structures with it. You can buy Dolmabahce palace tickets online through istanbultouristpass.com's international secure site. You can enjoy Dolmabahce palace fast track as an istanbultouristpass.com privilege. With the live chat service, you can reach an authorized person whenever you need and solve any problem that occurs during your tour. If you are looking for different and unique museums, we can recommend two places: Madame Tussauds Istanbul and Miniaturk. At Madame Tussauds, you can see famous people but with a twist: They are made of wax! MiniaTurk is an interesting place, too. You can have a trip to interesting places and iconic locations all over Turkey but their size is tiny.
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Advantages Of Istanbul Tourist Pass®
By having the Istanbul Tourist Pass®, you can visit more than 100+ attractions in Istanbul. You can save huge amount of time and money by not waiting in the long queues or paying fees at the entrances of the museums or for other facilities and activities. You can buy the Istanbul Tourist Pass®️ for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 or 10 days. So many attractions are available with Istanbul Tourist Pass®️ such as Topkapı Palace, Hagia Sophia, Dolmabahçe Palace, Sapanca Lake daily tour, Dinner on the Bosphorus, Istanbul Airport Shuttle etc. included in the pass. For more details and updated attractions available with the pass can be found on website.
Dolmabahce Palace Museum Guided Tour Frequently Asked Questions
Why Is The Palace Called Dolma Bahçe?
Can I Get in Dolmabahçe Palace Museum with Istanbul Tourist Pass?
No, this attraction cannot be accessed directly by presenting the digital Pass at the museum. You need to enter with the tour guide.
Where Can I Meet with the Guide?
You can find meeting location at Hours & Meeting section, our guides carry a white flag with the logo of Istanbul Tourist Pass®
When I Can Join the Museum Tour with a Guide?
You can find tour hours at Hours & Meeting section. Please meet your guide at the meeting point 10 minutes before the tour start time.
Dolmabahçe Palace Museum Opening Hours
The palace can be visited throughout the week between 9 AM and 6 PM, except for the first days of the religious holidays and the new year’s day.
Is Dolmabahce Palace Worth Seeing?
Absolutely. It is one of the most magnificent buildings in the city of culture, and it holds an incredible amount of history. Being an Ottoman palace with a huge cultural background, we believe you will learn a lot from your Dolmabahce visit.
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Since the land obtained from the bay, which was filled in to create a more suitable area for ceremonies, was later called Dolma garden and gradually turned into a private garden. Dolma means stuffed in Turkish.