Magnificence through the ages: the palaces of Istanbul

Istanbul is a city at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, holds traces of three great empires: Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman. The symbols of these eras are palaces — places where history was made, where emperors and sultans lived, where dynastic marriages were arranged and fateful decisions were taken. Today, many of them are open to the public and amaze with their magnificence.

In this article, I tell you about those that are truly worth your attention.

The main residence of Ottoman sultans for nearly 400 years. Topkapi is not just a palace, but a true city within a city: with a harem, the sultan's divan, library, treasury and numerous palace pavilions. More than 4000 people lived here, including concubines, eunuchs, guards and servants.

The complex was built in the 15th century, so some tourists say it is "empty," claiming there's nothing to see. But I completely disagree with this! Topkapi is my favorite Istanbul palace, and not just because it's where the series "Magnificent Century" takes place. The residence is unlike anything else. It's a unique monument of Ottoman architecture and style. This is not a palace in our usual understanding: with pompous ballrooms and incredibly large crystal chandeliers. Topkapi consists of colorful pavilions, blooming gardens, elegant fountains and stunning views of the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn bay. Each room is decorated with handmade ceramic tiles, which are still produced today in the city of Iznik.

In the palace, you can not only admire the chambers of sultans and their mothers but also peek into the sultan's hammam and toilet. It's a completely unique complex with no analogues in the world! Where else would you see a kafes — a peculiar prison for dynasty members? Princes or "şehzade" who were pretenders to the throne were placed in this "golden cage." Previously in the Ottoman Empire, Fatih's law was in effect, which, upon the ascension of a new sultan, allowed the execution of all blood brothers and their children so that the country would not be mired in power struggles. In the 17th century, execution was replaced by confinement in the kafes.

Topkapi was built a few years after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople. Interestingly, initially there was no harem in it; it was located elsewhere. Only the famous Hürrem Sultan arranged for the harem to be moved to the ruler's residence.

Topkapi translates as "cannon gates." The reason is that previously, if the sultan left the palace, a cannon shot had to announce it

The palace consists of four courtyards, each of which was accessible to different people.

The first is called the Janissary Court. Here, foreign ambassadors awaited audiences, celebrations were held, and Friday prayers took place. In this courtyard is one of the oldest surviving Orthodox churches of Byzantium — the Church of St. Irene.

In the second courtyard, the divan council met and the state treasury was located.

The third courtyard contains the harem and living quarters. It is entered through the Gate of Felicity.

In the fourth are pavilions for the personal use of the sultan and his family.

Topkapi houses relics of the Islamic world, including the mantle of the Prophet Muhammad and the sword of the caliph. Besides this, one can admire the sultan's treasures, among which is one of the largest diamonds in the world — the Spoonmaker's Diamond.

Luxurious Dolmabahçe palace in European style, built by Sultan Abdul-Mejid I in the mid-19th century, as a symbol of the empire's modernization. Yes, the sultans wanted to prove to the world that they were no worse than other powers and could also build pompous residences.

Dolmabahçe resembles other palaces that we've been accustomed to seeing since childhood, for example, in St. Petersburg or in Tsarskoye Selo.

The architectural style combines baroque, rococo and neoclassicism. The interiors, in the best traditions, are decorated with gilding, crystal chandeliers and marble. Dolmabahçe is beautiful and luxurious, located in one of the most picturesque places in the city — on the shore of the Bosphorus. The interior decoration is impressive in its scale. Just the crystal staircase alone is worth seeing! But, in my opinion, it's not as impressive as Topkapi, simply because all this (marble, candelabras, gold) doesn't impress us on a genetic level.

The only difference from the average European palace is that Dolmabahçe has a harem. The place where women lived, and where outsiders were forbidden to enter.

Dolmabahçe is the largest palace in Turkey. It has 285 rooms, 6 bathrooms and 68 toilets.

Dolmabahçe was the main residence of the Ottoman Empire until its collapse in 1924. Afterward, the first president of the Turkish Republic — Mustafa Kemal Atatürk — lived and worked here. In 1938, he died in the palace chambers as a result of illness.

The complex continued to be used as a presidential residence until 1949, and in 1984 it was turned into a museum. Today the palace is open to visitors: here you can see magnificent interiors and many artifacts from the Ottoman Empire era, as well as a collection of paintings by Ivan Aivazovsky, which the artist created by special order of the sultan.

A palace located on the Asian side of Istanbul. It was used for the sultans' leisure and receiving foreign guests. It served as a summer residence. The sultan and his family came here to rest during the warm season, like going to a dacha. They spent winters in Dolmabahçe.

Beylerbeyi Palace was built in the 19th century by Sultan Abdul-Aziz. Cozy and exquisite, it stands right by the sea and is surrounded by gardens. The interiors are a mixture of eastern magnificence and western pragmatism.

Foreign delegations and important guests often stayed at Beylerbeyi, including Emperor Napoleon III of France and the Shah of Persia.

You can view Beylerbeyi from the water as part of a boat trip with Courage-Voyage.

The Yıldız Palace is located on a hill between the Beşiktaş and Ortaköy districts. In the Middle Ages, this was the sultan's hunting grounds. The area is very picturesque. Not surprisingly, it was here that a pavilion, a fountain, and later a summer estate were built.

At the end of the 19th century, Sultan Abdul-Hamid II, having survived an assassination attempt, considered the main residence of Dolmabahçe insufficiently secure. He decided to move to the Yıldız area. The task of turning the existing pavilion into a worthy dwelling for the ruler of the Ottoman Empire was entrusted to Italian architect Raimondo d'Aronco. In 1880, the first part of the new palace was built, with additional buildings added later. By 1898, construction was completed, and the sultan moved into the magnificent building, where he spent the next 33 years of his life.

Currently, Yıldız Palace is closed for reconstruction, but nearby is a magnificent park of the same name, which is definitely worth your attention, as Istanbul cannot boast of having a lot of greenery. In Yıldız Park there's a pond with ducks and turtles, picnic tables, and suspension bridges where you can have fun running with children. You can easily spend half a day there enjoying nature.

It was built as the palace complex of Sultan Abdul-Aziz, but later suffered greatly in a fire. Today, Çırağan is the luxurious Çırağan Palace Kempinski hotel, where stars, politicians, and diplomats stay.

I recommend visiting one of the hotel's restaurants for breakfast, dinner, or at least just for coffee to enjoy the incredible atmosphere and feel like royalty.

The hotel is a favorite place for wealthy Turks to hold weddings and other celebrations.

A small hunting pavilion on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus in neo-baroque style, used for brief countryside visits by the sultan. Interestingly, there are no bedrooms or kitchen in the palace, because it was assumed that the sultan would stop here for a short rest during hunting.

The palace is so beautiful that even Hollywood directors liked it. In 1999, one of the "James Bond" episodes with Pierce Brosnan and Sophie Marceau was filmed here.

You can sail to the palace on a yacht by booking a boat trip from Courage-Voyage.

Another residence for visits during hunting in the European part of the city, built in the 19th century. It consists of two pavilions: Merasim and Mayet.

In the Merasim pavilion, you will see untouched interiors from those times. Mayet houses a café with quite reasonable prices. Here you can drink coffee in truly royal "settings."

The palace is located on the territory of a small but picturesque park, where ducks and peacocks roam freely, and there are also rabbits. In spring, Istanbul residents and tourists come here to admire the blooming magnolia.

This residence is famous thanks to the series "Magnificent Century." It belonged not to the sultan, but to his faithful servant and Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire — Ibrahim Pasha.

There is no rich external decoration, decor, or carved marble on the facade. From the outside, the building looks modest and impregnable.

Suleiman the Magnificent executed Ibrahim for misdeeds during his tenure in the main position of the state. After this, the palace fell into disrepair.

Currently, inside is the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art with a magnificent collection of Seljuk artifacts from the 13th century.

The palaces of Istanbul are not just architectural masterpieces, but living witnesses to past greatness. Each of them tells its own story: from the restrained luxury of Topkapi to the western splendor of Dolmabahçe. By visiting at least one of them, you seem to turn a page in the book of the Ottoman Empire's history and immerse yourself in another era.