Beylerbeyi Palace is one of the beautiful palaces in Istanbul, situated just under the Bosphorus Bridge, on the Asian side, at Beylerbeyi neighborhood. Built in between 1863-65, the historical palace was a summer residence for the Ottoman sultans. The architecture and interior is a mixture of Ottoman and Western design and decoration, as well as with furniture from 19th-century Europe. It has beautiful gardens and pavilions.
History
The Palace and its surroundings is a region (known as the Garden of the Cross) that has hosted different structures since the Byzantine Period. The sultans built many country houses and pavilions on the imperial estate here, and in 1829 Sultan Mahmud II built a wooden waterfront palace.
During the 19th century, the palace building was constructed with the order of Sultan Mahmut II. Later on, Sultan Abdülaziz completely destroyed the building and rebuilt it because of the big damage due to a big fire.
Between the years 1863-65, the Palace gained its present appearance, and covering an area of 3000 square meters with its additional buildings.
Today, the main structure of the Palace including the Mabeyn and Harem sections is open for its guests. The sea pavilions, the historical tunnel connecting Usküdar and Beylerbeyi, the Yellow Pavilion, the Marble Pavilion and the Barn Stables also serve for different purposes.
What to See?
Beylerbeyi Palace, together with the Dolmabahce Palace, is one of the palaces that draw attention with the decorations of Istanbul. Its interior architecture, details and exterior, is a perfect combination of Neoclassical, Baroque and Renaissance art styles.
Interior
The palace has three entrances, six state rooms and 26 smaller rooms. The interior is decorated with white marble. It consists of two main storey and a basement that hosts kitchens and store rooms.
The floors are covered with rush matting from Egypt, and large carpets and kilims are laid over. The attractive furnishings include the Bohemian crystal chandeliers, French clocks, and Chinese, Japanese, French and Turkish Yıldız porcelain vases.
Pavilions
Beylerbeyi Palace has lovely terraced gardens on the sloping hillside behind that makes it different from the other Ottoman palaces of the period. You’ll find two pavilions on these terraces; the Yellow Pavilion beside the pool, and the Marble Pavilion with lovely interior fountain and marble walls.
Gardens
The elegant architecture of the palace attracts its guests with its gardens that has a historical value and splendor spread over an area of 70,000 square meters. The beautiful gardens are the living places of the rare trees and plants. The sets are connected to each other with stairs and ramps.
Visiting Hours & Admissions
Opening Hours
Open every day except Mondays between 09:00-18:00
Closed on Mondays
How to Get There?
Location
Beylerbeyi Palace is situated by the Bosphorus Asian shore, under the Bospgorus Bridge, in Beylerbeyi neighborhood of Uskudar district. See the location map.
Transportation
The most practical way to get to Beylerbeyi is via public bus from Uskudar.
The palace is about 3,4 km. from Uskudar Public Ferry Port.
It is possible to access Uskudar;
- From Kadikoy; by public buses or shared taxis (dolmus),
- From Besiktas, by public ferries or boats,
- From Sultanahmet and Eminonu, by Bagcilar-Kabatas tram (T1 line) to Sirkeci and than from Sirkeci via the Marmaray, or from Eminonu by public ferries.
You may see the public bus routes and timetables as well as make a route/station search from the Istanbul Municipality Public Busses website. Also check the Istanbul Railway Network Map for the Tram stops and Istanbul Ferry Lines Map for ferries.
If you don’t want to visit the palace by entering inside, you can see it from see and take picture by one of Bosphorus cruises.
