The 10 Most Beautiful Palaces and Pavilions in Istanbul

1) Çırağan Palace, Beşiktaş

In the 17th century, the area that is now Çırağan, situated between Beşiktaş and Ortaköy, was known as the "Kazancıoğlu Gardens." During the 18th century, the shores of Beşiktaş were adorned with seaside palaces and gardens, becoming significant symbols of the "Tulip Period," a time characterized by the 'Flower and Music Love' era. This period was not only an era of entertainment but also a cultural renaissance.

The ruler of the time, Sultan III. Ahmed, gifted this property to the esteemed Vezir-i Azam, Ibrahim Pasha, who, in turn, commissioned the construction of the first waterside mansion for his wife, Fatma Sultan (the daughter of Sultan III. Ahmed). It was in this place that the "Çırağan Festivals" were organized, featuring torchlight celebrations.

Due to these events, this area came to be known as "Çırağan," a name derived from the Persian word for "light."

Abdulaziz completed the construction of the new palace in 1871, but eastern rather than western architecture was chosen as the style and North African Islamic Architecture was applied. The contractor of the palace was Sarkis Balyan and his partner Kirkor Narsisyan. The wooden building of the old Çırağan Palace was demolished and replaced with stone foundations of the new one. One of the priceless embroidered doors of the palace, worth a thousand gold coins, was made by Vortik Kemhacıyan. Sultan II. Abdulhamid commissioned one of these gates to his friend, German Emperor Kaiser II, who liked them very much. He gave it to Wilhelm as a gift. Materials such as rare marble, porphyry and mother-of-pearl were brought from all over the world and used for the construction of the palace. 400,000 Ottoman liras were spent on the construction of the coast alone. The construction of Çırağan Palace, which started in 1863, was completed in 1871, and 2.5 million gold was spent.

Sultan Abdülaziz, who came here for the last time in March 1876 and rested for a while, left Çırağan Palace and settled in Dolmabahçe Palace after there were rumors among the public that demolishing the Beşiktaş Mevlevi Lodge and adding it to the palace grounds would bring bad luck.

2) Dolmabahçe Palace, Beşiktaş

Dolmabahçe Palace is an Ottoman palace located in Beşiktaş, Istanbul, between Dolmabahçe Avenue, extending from Kabataş to Beşiktaş, and the Bosphorus, covering an area of 250,000 square meters. Situated on the left bank of the Bosphorus, it offers a sea route entrance from the Marmara Sea, facing Üsküdar and Kuzguncuk. The construction of the palace, commissioned by Sultan Abdülmecid, began in 1843 and was completed in 1856. Today, it serves as a museum.

The area where Dolmabahçe Palace now stands used to be a large bay where Ottoman naval ships anchored, dating back to four centuries ago. This bay, which hosted traditional maritime ceremonies, gradually turned into a swamp. In the 17th century, the bay began to be filled, transforming it into a "hasbahçe" (royal garden) for the relaxation and entertainment of the sultans. This garden, featuring various pavilions and mansions built in different periods, was referred to as the "Beşiktaş Coastal Palace" for a long time.

3)  Topkapı Palace, Fatih

Topkapı Palace (Ottoman Turkish: طوپقپو سرايى) is located in Sarayburnu, Istanbul, and served as the administrative center of the Ottoman Empire for 400 of its 600-year history. It was the palace where Ottoman sultans resided. At one point, it housed nearly 4,000 people.

Topkapı Palace was commissioned by Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror in 1478 and served as the state's administrative center and the official residence of Ottoman sultans for approximately 380 years until Abdülmecid built Dolmabahçe Palace. The palace originally covered an area of around 700,000 square meters but currently occupies an area of 80,000 square meters.

As the palace residents moved to other palaces like Dolmabahçe Palace and Yıldız Palace, Topkapı Palace was gradually vacated. However, it never lost its significance, and it was occasionally renovated. The maintenance of the Hırka-i Saadet Chamber, where the Holy Relics visited by the sultan and his family during Ramadan are kept, was always a priority.

4) Yıldız Palace, Beşiktaş

Yıldız Palace, initially constructed for Sultan III. Selim's mother, Mihrişah Sultan, dates back to the late 18th century (1789-1807). It gained particular significance during the reign of Ottoman Sultan Abdülhamit II (1876-1909) and served as the main palace of the Ottoman Empire. It is located in the Beşiktaş district of Istanbul. Unlike a single building like Dolmabahçe Palace, Yıldız Palace is a complex that encompasses a vast garden and woodland area extending from the shores of the Marmara Sea, ascending northwestward up to the ridge, consisting of palaces, pavilions, administrative buildings, protection facilities, service structures, and parks.

Starting from the era of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent (1520-1566), this region served as a hunting ground for the Ottoman sultans. While it's not precisely known how much of the palace grounds overlapped with these hunting grounds, it is highly likely that areas named "Civan Kapucıbaşı Gardens" and "Kazancıoğlu Gardens" encompassed a part of the Yıldız Palace grounds. These gardens were incorporated into the Sultan's gardens during the reign of Sultan Ahmed I (1603-1617).

Over time, various structures were added to the area as needed, turning it into a complex of carefully crafted buildings. These structures, among the most meticulously constructed of their era, transformed the area into a living space.

5) Beylerbeyi Palace, Beşiktaş

Beylerbeyi Palace was a summer palace of the Ottoman Empire located in the Üsküdar district of Istanbul. Today, it serves as a museum and is part of a complex consisting of various structures and elements. It takes its name from the Beylerbeyi neighborhood. The construction of Beylerbeyi Palace, under the direction of Ottoman Sultan Abdülaziz, took place between 1863 and 1865, with architecture by Sarkis Balyan.

Before the current palace was built, there existed a wooden palace and some structures in the area dating back to 1832. This wooden palace, commissioned as a summer residence by Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II, suffered a fire in 1851 while hosting Sultan Abdülmecid. Due to its perceived "inauspiciousness" after the fire, it was abandoned and subsequently demolished in 1861 on the orders of Sultan Abdülaziz.

The construction of the present-day palace began on August 6, 1863, and was completed in 1864. After the selection, production, and placement of its furnishings, the official opening took place on April 21, 1865. Today, Beylerbeyi Palace stands as a historical museum.

6) Adile Sultan Palace, Beşiktaş

The palace, named after Sultan Abdülmecit's sister, Adile Sultan, was originally purchased in 1856 to serve as Adile Sultan's summer residence. In 1861, it was rebuilt under the patronage of Sultan Abdülaziz. Adile Sultan, known as the only female poet within the Ottoman Dynasty, was noted for her contributions to the development of Kandilli, her charitable work towards the poor, and her particular interest in education. As a result, in 1899, she donated Adile Sultan Palace to the National Education Ministry, intending it to be used as a girls' school.

For some time, the palace served as the Kandilli Girls' High School. However, following a fire in 1986, it was restored thanks to the generous donation of the late businessman Sakıp Sabancı.

7) Hidiv Pavilion, Beşiktaş

Hıdiv Pavilion, located on the Çubuklu hills in the Beykoz district of Istanbul, is a historic structure built in 1907 by the last Khedive of Egypt, Abbas Hilmi Pasha. It was designed by the Italian architect Delfo Seminati in the Art Nouveau style, in line with the architectural trends of the time.

The title of "Khédive" was a prestigious position granted by the Ottoman Empire to the governors of Egypt. A young Abbas Hilmi Pasha, who served as one of the Ottoman Empire's governors in Egypt, needed to stay in Istanbul for an extended period during the late 19th century to counter British influence in Egypt and seek support from the Ottoman state. To do this, in 1903, he purchased two wooden mansions located on the site of the current palace. Abbas Hilmi Pasha later acquired the 270-acre garden that included the wooded slopes and upper plateau behind his mansions. He had the wooden mansions demolished and, in 1907, commissioned the Italian architect Delfo Seminati to design a magnificent palace in the Art Nouveau style, covering an area of 1,000 square meters, with a tower that had views of the Istanbul Bosphorus.

When the British occupied Egypt and introduced a monarchy system, they stripped Abbas Hilmi Pasha of his Khedive title. Consequently, Abbas Hilmi Pasha was exiled or chose to live in Switzerland. His family continued to reside in Hıdiv Kasrı until 1937. In that year, the Istanbul Municipality purchased Hıdiv Kasrı.

8) Küçüksu Pavilion, Beykoz

Küçüksu Pavilion, also known as Göksu Palace, is a palace located in the Küçüksu neighborhood of Istanbul, situated between the Göksu Stream and Küçüksu Stream along the Bosphorus, on the Üsküdar-Beykoz coastal road. It was commissioned by Sultan Abdülmecit and built by Nigoğayos Balyan, with construction completed in 1856. Originally named "Göksu Palace," this structure is one of the riding pavilions on the Bosphorus shores that were used by the sultans. These pavilions were buildings distinct from the palaces, considered the property of the sultans, and were constructed outside the main palace complex. They were not used for permanent residence but served as places for the sultans to relax.

Architecturally, Küçüksu Pavilion exhibits a Western influence (Art Nouveau) distinct from traditional Ottoman architecture. In the central entrance area, there is a grand and monumental marble fountain. The ceiling extends up to the roof and is adorned with stained glass. The interior features elegant fountains and pools in various locations. The building is designed in a way that forms a circle around the pool through connections between the salons, with only the entrance hall intersecting this circle. The historic elevator in this hall is another noteworthy detail. The upper floor houses private rooms.

9) Ihlamur Pavilion, Beykoz

Ihlamur Pavilion is a pavilionlocated in the Ihlamur Grove, situated in the valley between Beşiktaş and Nişantaşı in Istanbul. It was commissioned by Sultan Abdülmecit (1839-1861) and constructed by Nigoğayos Balyan, consisting of two pavilions known as the "Merasim Köşkü" and the "Maiyet Köşkü." Among these, the Merasim Köşkü is the actual Ihlamur Pavilion. The single-story rectangular pavilion is built from cut stone and stands on a high terrace.

Slightly further from the Merasim Köşkü is the Maiyet Köşkü, which is a simpler structure. It has two stories and features a two-armed staircase on the entrance facade. The central hall, staircases, and four rooms are located on the entrance side of the pavilion.

Today, Ihlamur Pavilion is situated within the Ihlamur Grove, a resting area that has been known as "Ihlamur Mesire" for a long time. It is enclosed by high walls to protect it from the noise and chaos of the surrounding area. The Ihlamur Grove consists of three sections: the Ihlamur Mahalli with a pool, the Muhabbet Bahçesi, and Hacı Hüseyin Bağı. This recreational area was transformed into a "hasbahçe" (imperial garden) during the reign of Sultan Ahmed III (1703-1730). It continued to be developed in the periods of Sultan Abdulhamid I (1774-1789) and Sultan Selim III (1789-1807), and in the first half of the 19th century, it caught the attention of Sultan Abdülmecit.

10) Aynalıkavak Pavilion, Beykoz

Aynalıkavak Pavilion is a pavilion located on the shores of Hasköy in Beyoğlu, Istanbul. When Istanbul was conquered, it was a large grove on the slopes of Okmeydanı, extending down to the shore.

During the reign of Sultan Selim I, Hasköy and the Beyoğlu shores gained importance with the construction of shipyards, and this extensive grove, along with its gardens, began to be known as the "Tersane Bahçesi" or Shipyard Garden. While Sultan Ahmet I was in Edirne, Kapudan Pasha Kayserili Halil Pasha ordered the construction of a magnificent pavilion called "Kasr-ı Âli" (a pavilion worthy of the sultan) in Tersane Bahçesi in 1613. The initial buildings of the pavilion were completed in that year.

Sultan Murat IV and Sultan Ibrahim showed great interest in the Tersane Pavilion and expanded it with additional buildings. However, the pavilion was completely destroyed due to a fire during the reign of Sultan Mehmet IV and was subsequently rebuilt. When viewed from Beyoğlu, the entire pavilion, including all of its chambers, was visible. The pavilion had various buildings surrounding the Harem and Mabeyn Chambers. In 1730, along with some repairs to the pavilion, a new pavilion called Hasbahçe Köşkü was also built.