Dolmabahce Palace » Distance: 8 km. Located along the coast of the Bosphorus in Beşiktaş, 300 yards from the Beşiktaş ferry-boat quay, this palace is the grandest imperial Ottoman residence. It was constructed by the Armenian architects Karabet and Nikogos Balyan for Sultan Abdülmecid (1839-61) who, preferring a more modern residence, decided to move out [...]
The Tiled Pavilion (Çinili Köşk) » Distance: 300 m. This is the striking two-storied, building opposite the Archeological Museum. It is actually the first pavilion of the Topkapı Palace and was built by Mehmet the Conqueror. This summer pavilion dating back to 1472 is an example of early Ottoman architecture influenced by the Selçuks, with [...]
Topkapi Palace » Distance: 300 m. Topkapi is the largest and oldest palace in the world to survive to our day. In 1924 it was turned into a museum at Atatiirk’s request. Situated on the acropolis, the site of the first settlement in Istanbul, it commands an impressive view of the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus [...]
