The Bosphorus edge here was once a natural harbor, then an imperial garden, and finally the setting for a palace built to meet new ceremonial needs. Dolmabahçe’s long waterfront façade pairs European decorative styles with Ottoman court spaces.
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The broad waterfront façade makes the palace appear to face the Bosphorus as if it were an audience. The shore beneath it has changed just as dramatically: this was once a natural bay and harbor, gradually filled from the seventeenth century and turned into an imperial garden.
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UpgradeQuick facts
- Construction took place from 1843 to 1856 under Sultan Abdülmecid.
- The palace’s main plan separates administration, the Harem, and a ceremonial hall.
- The site was filled from the seventeenth century and became an imperial garden.
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