Jakob
December 22nd, 2004, 05:13 PM
The word "Dolmabahce" in English means "The filled garden". Because the Dolmabahce Palace is founded upon a reclaimed area by filling up the sea. It's a beautiful 19th century palace right by the Bosphorus, on the waterfront. It's in baroque and rococo style and very French. Many people think that it is a small model of the palace of Versailles in Paris, France.
When one enters the palace area, the first thing to see is the beautiful French style gardens. After having a lovely walk by the Bosphorus, one reaches the main building. The palace was constructed between 1842-1853 by the Ottoman Sultans Sultan Abdulmecid. The architect was the famous Armenian architect Nikogos Balyan. The palace reflects the European and more "modern" side of the Ottoman Empire. The Sultans moved to Dolmabahce Palace after its construction was finished and never went back to Topkapi Palace which hosted them nearly 4 centuries.
The entrance hall is where the visitors were used to welcomed. This part is the official part (Selamlik) of the Palace that was only open to the men. The women and the children lived in a different part called "the Harem". The Sultan's bedrooms were also in the Harem Part. The founder of Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk died in this palace in 1938 of sirosis disease. He actually lived in Ankara, Turkey's capital, but he used to come to Istanbul quite often and Dolmabahce Palace was his residence when he visited Istanbul. His room is also in the Harem Part of the Palace. There are many portraits in the palace by famous artists, like Aivazosvky of Russia. It's a very ornate palace with its 285 rooms, 43 large halls and 6 Turkish baths. The large old carpets on the floor are Hereke Carpets which were exclusively woven for the palaces.
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/dc879f29.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/d434a16a.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/74e0555a.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/2306d30b.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/ffd607ce.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/daa6401d.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/b89f8593.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/f6a64070.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/6a24e115.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/edce2e7d.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/5a3e7472.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/53c8cfdd.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/488d35b5.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/dffc2d06.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/7b294328.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/d6b5fed0.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/571e56a2.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/116fb7b9.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/3eb3365b.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/79d50b9f.jpg
When one enters the palace area, the first thing to see is the beautiful French style gardens. After having a lovely walk by the Bosphorus, one reaches the main building. The palace was constructed between 1842-1853 by the Ottoman Sultans Sultan Abdulmecid. The architect was the famous Armenian architect Nikogos Balyan. The palace reflects the European and more "modern" side of the Ottoman Empire. The Sultans moved to Dolmabahce Palace after its construction was finished and never went back to Topkapi Palace which hosted them nearly 4 centuries.
The entrance hall is where the visitors were used to welcomed. This part is the official part (Selamlik) of the Palace that was only open to the men. The women and the children lived in a different part called "the Harem". The Sultan's bedrooms were also in the Harem Part. The founder of Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk died in this palace in 1938 of sirosis disease. He actually lived in Ankara, Turkey's capital, but he used to come to Istanbul quite often and Dolmabahce Palace was his residence when he visited Istanbul. His room is also in the Harem Part of the Palace. There are many portraits in the palace by famous artists, like Aivazosvky of Russia. It's a very ornate palace with its 285 rooms, 43 large halls and 6 Turkish baths. The large old carpets on the floor are Hereke Carpets which were exclusively woven for the palaces.
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/dc879f29.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/d434a16a.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/74e0555a.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/2306d30b.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/ffd607ce.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/daa6401d.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/b89f8593.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/f6a64070.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/6a24e115.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/edce2e7d.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/5a3e7472.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/53c8cfdd.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/488d35b5.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/dffc2d06.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/7b294328.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/d6b5fed0.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/571e56a2.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/116fb7b9.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/3eb3365b.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/jakob_zh/Architecture/79d50b9f.jpg