The Dolmabahçe Palace is an architectural jewel bordering the waters of the Bosphorus.

This palace, which served as the main administrative center of the Ottoman Empire from 1853 to 1922, except for a brief period between 1889 and 1909, when the Yıldız Palace was used, is a monument that fuses European neo-baroque splendor with Turkey's rich history and culture.

Built under the direction of Sultan Abd-ul-Mejid I between 1842 and 1853, Dolmabahçe Palace is a testament to the luxury and opulence of the era, costing five million Ottoman gold pounds, a sum equivalent to thirty-five tons of gold. The palace is adorned with fourteen tons of gold, the highlight being the magnificent Bohemian crystal chandelier in the main hall, which contains seven hundred and fifty chandeliers and weighs four and a half tons.

Dolmabahçe, originally a bay gradually filled in during the 18th century to create imperial gardens, now houses this spectacular palace, designed by Armenian-Turkish architects Garabet Amira Balyan and his son Nigogos Balyan. The palace, which covers an impressive 45,000 square meters, has 285 rooms, 46 halls, 6 Turkish baths and 68 bathrooms.

The Crystal Staircase, one of the palace's most prominent features, is made of Baccarat crystal, brass and mahogany, while luxurious Hereke carpets, crafted at the Hereke Imperial Factory, decorate its floors. In addition, the palace houses a valuable collection of bearskin rugs, gifted by the Russian Tsar to the Sultan, which are more than 150 years old.

Today, Dolmabahçe Palace is managed by the National Palaces Directorate and is open to the public as the Dolmabahçe Palace Museum, except Mondays and Thursdays, from nine to three.

A significant part of the history of this palace is the Atatürk Room, where Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder and first president of modern Turkey, spent his last years and passed away in this space.