Dolmabahce Palace is a jewel located on the Bosphorus shores of Istanbul. The palace, which started operating in 1856, was the place where the sultans lived in the last years of the Ottoman Empire.
Topkapi Palace in Sultanahmet hosted the Ottoman sultans for nearly 400 years. However, as the shores of the Bosphorus gained importance in the 1800s, the Ottoman throne was also moved to the Dolmabahce Palace.
You can find information about the history and architecture of Dolmabahce Palace in this article. In addition, Dolmabahce Palace entrance fee and opening hours are also noted. (The ticket price of the palace has been revised as of July 1, 2023)
If you want to get fast access to the palace with a guided group, you can buy Dolmabahce Palace skip-the-line tickets from this link. These online tickets can save you from waiting at the ticket booths during the spring and summer months.
Table of Contents
The History of Dolmabahce Palace
The history of Dolmabahce Palace begins with Sultan Abdulmecid leaving the traditional Topkapi Palace in the 19th century. A new palace was built on the shores of the Bosphorus under the influence of westernization in the Ottoman Empire.
1. Ottoman Istanbul in 19th Century
Westernization gained momentum in the Ottoman Istanbul in 19th Century. For the Ottoman people who lived in Istanbul Old City, “Europe” was in the northern bank of the Golden Horn.
Life quality in the other part of the city surpassed the Historical Peninsula after Sultan Abdulmecid left Topkapi Palace in 1856 and moved into Dolmabahce Palace, which was built in the western architectural style.
While Muslim population in the Historical Peninsula was living a modest and conservative life, Pera (Beyoglu) quarter was regarded as “Paris of the East” due to parties, balls and art events held there.
2. Beyoglu and Bosphorus
Beyoglu and Bosphorus became the symbols of the new lifestyle. Neo-Classical and Baroque-style buildings were built and French-style cafes and restaurants were opened in Beyoglu, which was known as “Pera” at that time.
Pera became a place where foreigners lived. French and Italian merchants (levantines) and Ottoman citizens, Greeks, Armenians and Jews created a new culture in this district. The Ottoman bureaucracy and sometimes even the Sultan himself participated in the events in the Pera district.
Foreign embassies, noble families and merchants in Pera had mansions on the shores of the Bosphorus. Thus, the shores of the Bosphorus underwent a great change in the 19th century and were filled with colorful mansions.
Observing the change in the city, Sultan Abdulmecid decided to build a new palace to replace the traditional Topkapi Palace. Thus, the construction of the magnificent Dolmabahce Palace on the Bosphorus began.
The Architecture of Dolmabahce Palace
The architecture of the Dolmabahce Palace is nothing like the previous Ottoman palaces. Especially those who visit Topkapi Palace will notice the difference between Classical Ottoman Architecture and 19th century buildings.
“Dolma” means filled or stuffed and “Bahce” means garden in Turkish lenguage. The site of the Dolmabahce Palace was obtained by filling the small bay on the Bosphorus giving the palace its name.
Chief architect Garabet Balyan managed to combine the Oriental and European styles. The lifestyle and protocol were Oriental but the architectural plan was taken from European palaces. Balyan also combined various architectural styles forming the eclectic architectural outcome.
The Palace consists of 285 rooms and 46 halls. The massive building covers an area of 25 hectares / 62 acres. There are nearly 600 unique paintings and very beautiful huge Turkish carpets specially woven for this elegant court.
The palace’s equipment implemented the highest technical standards of its age. Gas lighting and water-closets were imported from Great Britain, whereas the palaces in Europe were still lacking these features at that time. Later, electricity, a central heating system and an elevator were installed.
Dolmabahce Palace Entrance Fee 2023
Dolmabahce Palace entrance fee is 650 Turkish Liras as of 2023. The combined ticket covers the Main Building, the Harem Rooms and the Palace Collections sections of the palace. The information on the ticket price was last updated on September 24, 2023.
Until May 2022, separate tickets were sold for each section of the Dolmabahce Palace. As an alternative to these, there was a combined ticket covering all sections. However, as of May 1, the combined ticket became the only option.
In short, with a combined ticket, you can visit the main halls of the palace called the Selamlik (Reception) and also the Harem Rooms. Also included is the Palace Collections Museum, which contains magnificent paintings by court painters.
After receiving the ticket you will see the turnstiles at the entrance of the palace. You can get a free audio guide system from the office on the left before you pass the turnstiles.
Dolmabahce Palace Skip-The-Line Tickets
The 7-month period from April to November is Istanbul’s high tourism season. During this period, there is a long ticket queue in front of popular museums.
At some popular museums in Istanbul, you can skip the queues with the Museum Pass Istanbul. However, MUSEUM PASS is NOT VALID for this particular museum. For that reason, I recommend you to buy skip the line Dolmabahce Palace tickets in advance.
Those who have fast track tickets meet with their guides at the gate and enter with the group. So you don’t wait in line and listen to the history of the Dolmabahce Palace from a licensed tour guide.
For fast track entrance to Dolmabahce Palace, you can buy online tickets from this link. These tickets are sold with the guarantee of GetYourGuide, an international travel platform.
Dolmabahce Palace Opening Hours 2023
Dolmabahce Palace opening hours are between 9:00 in the morning and 18:30 in the evening. The ticket offices are closed 1 hour prior to closing time. Please note that Dolmabahce Palace is closed on Mondays. Information on visiting hours was last updated on September 24, 2023.
Museum visiting hours in Istanbul may change due to various restorations and special occasions. Before going to the museum, I recommend you to visit the official website of the palace and review the latest situation.
How to Get to The Palace?
Dolmabahce Palace is located in the district of Besiktas and right next to the stadium of the Besiktas Football Team (namely Vodafone Arena). It is very easy to get to the palace from Taksim Square and Sultanahmet, which are the most touristic districts of Istanbul.
You can use the tram to get to Dolmabahce Palace from Sultanahmet. When you take the Tram T1 from Sultanahmet Tram Station in the direction of “Kabatas”, you can get off at the last stop, Kabatas. It takes only ten minutes to walk from Kabatas Tram Station to the palace.
In order to go to Dolmabahce Palace from Taksim Square, you can take Funicular F1 to reach Kabatas in minutes. You can reach the palace in a few minutes by following the coastline from Kabatas Tram Station.
Conclusion
Dolmabahce Palace is a great place to get to know Ottoman Istanbul in the 19th century. Because in this period, Istanbul had undergone a great change with the effect of Westernization.
Dolmabahce Palace has an inspiring beauty both from the outside and inside. Especially the furniture, chandeliers and wall decorations in it perfectly reflect the decoration style of a period.
You can also take great Instagram photos thanks to the various fountains, statues and monumental gates in the large courtyards of the palace. In the background, there will always be a magnificent Bosphorus view.
It is recommended to visit the palace with guided tours in order to learn the history of the Palace properly and to grasp the flow of life that had continued here for many years. You can make a reservation from this link to join guided skip-the-line tours.
Written by Serhat Engul
Does it needed Negative PCR test to visit the Palace?
No, there is no Covid control at the entrance to mosques and museums in Istanbul. At least that’s the case with the big museums affiliated with the state, and Dolmabahce Palace is one of them. Some private museums may have a different procedure.
Serhat, thank you so much for your swift responce and useful articles!
You’re welcome, Marina. I wish you a nice trip in Istanbul.
Hello! Can we visit the palace with our dog?
Thank you
I don’t think you can visit with a dog. I have never come across anyone visiting the palace with a pet before. They probably don’t allow it. Inside the palace, there are 150-year-old carpets and priceless items.
You need to update the ticket price. It has almost tripled now
Hi Andrew, thanks for the warning. Yes, as of May 1, prices have changed. As far as I can see, they have combined the Palace and Harem tickets, and on top of that, there is a 50% price increase.
In fact, the issue is not only Dolmabahce Palace. There are 50 museums from Turkey on the site, and all of them need updating their ticket prices.
Although I try to keep the site up to date as much as possible, sometimes I can’t keep up because the prices change so frequently due to post-pandemic inflation.
Yes, the prices have really shot up. I paid 300 TL a week back.
Hello Manali, I have started to update the ticket prices of Istanbul museums on the site. Very soon, the latest entrance fees of Dolmabahce Palace will be added. Thanks for information.
Hello! Is it possible to take amateur pictures during the visit?
Thank you!
Hi Maria, unfortunately it is forbidden to take photos indoors of the Dolmabahce Palace. But you can take pictures in the courtyards.
Hi, is it free just to walk around the garden of this palace? ( just visiting the outside of building)
Hi Jerry, the outer garden of Dolmabahce Palace can be entered without a ticket. But I can’t say that part is very attractive. There is only the palace cafe and ticket offices there.
The main garden of the palace, decorated with flowers and a pool, remains inside. You can’t get there without going through the ticket turnstiles.