Dolmabahçe Palace

Dolmabahce Palace is located in the new city of Istanbul, also commonly known as the new palace of the Ottoman Empire. The palace is tall, broad and magnificent, vaguely revealing the splendor and wealth of the once prosperous Ottoman Empire. "Dolmabahce" in Turkish means courtyard built with earth. This palace was built by Mohammed II on the original port structure in the mid-19th century. It is located on the waterfront and has beautiful scenery. It is attached to the European coast of the Bosphorus Strait. The seat of government in Sudan. The extravagant European palace palace architectural style adopts the European palace style. The mature architectural level makes the palace wall 600 meters long, the inner wall is covered with gold leaf, and the main body is made of white marble and Egyptian alabaster, which is extremely luxurious. Through an ornately decorated gate, you enter the palace surrounded by gardens. The flowers and trees in the garden are carefully cared for. There is also a baroque clock tower in the garden. It is speculated that this clock tower also served as a warning tower. effect. Since the palace is still used by government agencies, there are still guards standing guard at the entrance, and the access control is strict. Follow the tour guide to visit the palace The palace is mainly composed of two parts, namely the Palace of Ceremonies (Selamlık), the Harem and the Court of Concubines (Haremlik), with a total of 285 rooms, 43 halls and 6 Turkish baths, which are magnificent masterpiece. You must visit both places on a guided tour and cannot walk alone. The tour is generally divided into two lines. The tour guides are all in English or Turkish. Basically, the tour time of each line is about 30-40 minutes. If you are pressed for time, it is recommended to only visit the Palace of Etiquette. After entering the Palace of Etiquette and Crystal Stairs from the main entrance of the palace, the first thing to visit is the Palace of Etiquette. There are reception halls for receiving envoys from various countries, waiting rooms, rooms for secret meetings with government officials, bathrooms and children's rooms. The crystal lamps that decorate the interior are luxuriously shining, and the Turkish carpets, crystal candlesticks, ivory, gold and decorations presented by various countries are also worth watching carefully. In particular, the stair hall here, the pillars supporting the stair handrails are made of crystal, so it is called "crystal ladder". When sunlight enters the interior from the glass curtain ceiling, it presents a dazzling scene. The crystal lamp hanging down from the ceiling weighs about 2.5 tons and is crystal produced in Pacala, France. The luxurious emperor hall is the emperor hall walking from the stair hall, which is also a large and luxurious room in the palace. The sultan's coronation is held here, and you can see the sultan's throne inlaid with gold. The crystal lamp hanging from the big dome was presented to Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. It has 750 light bulbs and weighs 4.5 tons. It is the largest crystal chandelier in the world. In addition, the Red Room, the Ambassador's Room and the Sultan's bathroom also remember to pay attention to appreciate it. After the Harem and the Court of Concubines left the Palace of Etiquette, the Harem occupies most of the northern part of the palace. This is a place where men are not allowed to enter except for the sultan and the prince. This harem is separated from the previous imperial hall by an iron gate. The rooms here are decorated in different styles according to the preferences of the concubines, which are filled with a strong Western style. For example, the Yellow Hall is the place where the ladies of the harem meet. This is a large room in the harem. The rooms of the first lady to the fourth lady are arranged in order in the concubine's bedroom. There is a children's room at the back of the bedroom, and everything is small and exquisite, and the shape is quite cute. In addition, there is also the death room of Ataturk, the founding father of Turkey. The bed is covered with the Turkish flag made of silk, and the clock on the wall is always stuck at 9:05, the time of his death. Other attractions After visiting the above two routes, you can also go to the Crystal Palace and the Clock Museum if you have time. The palace also has a 160-meter-long pier along the strait. It is said that ships were the main means of entering and leaving the palace in the past. Of course, it has been put on hold now. You can stand here to take a look at the beautiful scenery on the other side and take a group photo. In addition, there is an open-air cafe next to the clock tower in the garden. If you are tired, you can sit down and have a cup of coffee, look at the blue sky and blow the sea breeze.