TURKEY TRAVEL GUIDE
During the six hundred years of Ottoman rule, the seat of the empire changed several times, from Bursa to Edirne and later to Istanbul. The site of the imperial 'palace', center of Ottoman government, changed also over the centuries in Istanbul itself. The earliest palace to post-date the Ottoman conquest of Istanbul was the Saray-i Atik-i Âmire (the Old Palace1453/1478). After which the Ottoman imperial seat of government removed, at some point, to Topkapi Palace, known as the Saray-i Cedid-i Âmire (Built between 1478 and 1856). In subsequent eras, the sultans inhabited Topkapi, the Çiragan Palace, the shore palace at Besiktas and Beylerbeyi Palace at various intervals, until the completion of Dolmabahçe Palace in 1856, when this became the official Ottoman seat.
In 1877 the sultan moved once again, this time to Yildiz Palace, where the Ottoman court remained until 1909. From that date until the dissolution of the sultanate in 1922, Dolmabahçe regained its status as official imperial residence.
The Palace of Dolmabahçe, completed in 1856, is the third largest Ottoman Palace in Istanbul. It embodies, in its very form the social and cultural structure of the period, of which it is stylistically typical.
Dolmabahçe was a prestigious addition to the urban silhouette of Istanbul built on a prominent site at the entrance to the Bosphorus. It stands at a focal point in the fast growing 19th century city, and was built at a time of increasing enthusiasm for all things occidental.
Here for the first time was a building resulting from the detailed planning rather than the organic principle of growth in response to need, as had been the case in Topkapi Palace.
Certain structural additions, unusual for Ottoman royal buildings were made to Dolmabahçe in keeping with the trends of the time, such as the palace theatre-the Saray-i Hümâyûn Tiyatrosu.
The main building of the palace is set parallel to the Bosphorus and surrounded by high walls. It is of a self-sufficient complex including annexes serving all the social and administrative needs of the palace.
The main building is, in fact, two sections, the administrative and private quarters; the former for men only-Mabeyn-i Hümâyûn, which-and the women's quarters-the Harem-i Hümâyûn, which are joined under one roof with access from one section to the other via the Grand Ceremonial Hall- the Muayede Salon. The Heirs Elected Apartments -Veliahd Daire- is an extansion of the main building which adjoines the sprawling palace further along the shore, although in fact it was cut off from the main building by a high wall seperating this wing of the palace from the Harem. It is today the Museum of Art and Sculpture of Mimar Sinan University. In its basic layout, the palace attempted to reconcile some increasingly popular western elements with Ottoman architectural tradition and with oriental social tradition. The decoration both on the exterior and within reflects an elaborate, heavily eclectic westernised aesthetic.
The immediate environment of the palace is known to have been one of the ancient settlement. It is thought that the ancient mythical vessel the Argos visited these shores, and throughout the classical era the area was known as Iasonion, after Jason the captain of Argos.
During the Byzantine period, a palace, hippodrome and other large public buildings were known to have existed along the shore between Kabatas and Besiktas.
Ottoman sources reveal that this remained a popular site after the conquest of Istanbul, when mosques, fountains and pavilions were built along the shore at various times.
The actual site of the Palace of Dolmabahçe was formerly a harbour, the traditional last moorage of the imperial fleet before the start of a campaign, up to the 17th century.
Previous imperial palace buildings occupied the shore at "Besiktas" and around the bay of Dolmabahçe, until in the 17th century, the bay, which had become silted up was filled in completely. The newly acquired shore was given the name Dolmabahçe"infill gardens". The task of filling this huge bay was begun in 1614 during the reign of Ahmet I (1613-1617) by Halil Pasa, Admiral of the Fleet, bay order of Grand Vizier Nasuh Pasa. Infill work was finally completed in the reign of Osman II.
In his famous book of travels, the 17th century chronicler, Evliya Çelebi mentions the area as small cypress grove bordering on a bay which when it became silted up was filled in by order of Osman II. The sultan ordered the entire Ottoman fleet, together with 20.000 kayiks and barges from the port of Istanbul to fill the bay, creating an area of 400 arsins (approximately 400 yards) of land.
The infill area linked up imperial groves in Besiktas and Kabatas, the Hasbahçe and Karaabali groves. These were gradually enhanced by pavilions and royal lodges and the whole shoreline remained among the most favoured imperial estates for centuries. Some royal pavilions and lodges are known to have existed around the by before it became infilled, one of the earliest among them being the Kaptan Pasa Yalisi, later renamed the Cagalioglu Yalisi. This was used by Beyazit II (1481-1512). Sources for the reign of Süleyman I refer to the area as a favorite imperial resort, the gardens and groves of which were famous (notably the Karaabali Mehmet Baba groves). According to Evliya Çelebi, during the reign of Selim II (1566-1574) the only structure there was a royal lodge and pool built by that sultan. Ahmet I (1603-1617) is known to have constructed a pavilion although it is uncertain how long that building remained intact.
A considerable amount of construction took place during the reign of Mehmet IV (1648-1687), with the resulting complex being known as the Besiktas Shore Palace. One building of particular renown dating from this period (now no longer extant) was the Çinili Pavilion-Çinili Kösk (dated 1678-1680).
The existing palace buildings were extended and restored during the reign of Ahmet III (1703-1730). The pavilions and garden enclosure of Dolmabahçe, which were reputedly in ruins in 1719, were restored and incorporated into the Besiktas Palace complex at that time, when the imperial estates were enclosed by high walls. The entire complex and its grounds were renamed the Imperial Palace of BesiktasBesiktas Saray-i Hümâyûnu. Subsequently, during the reign of Mahmut I, a series of pavilions known as the Bayildim Kösks were built on the slopes above the Dolmabahçe estates (dating to 1748).
A mausoleum from the same period which now stands within the grounds of Dolmabahçe Palace, containing the sarcophagi of the wives and daughters of Mahmut I, indicates that the shore palace was inhabited at this time.
The Besiktas Palace was inhabited over the second half of the 18th century, when various additions were made to the structure and continious restoration took place during the reigns of Osman III (1754-1757), Abdülhamid I (1774- 1789) and finally Selim III (1789- 1807).
By the turn of the century, royal buildings stretched along the shore from Besiktas to Defterdar Burnu, beginning with the Saray-i Hümâyûn at Besiktas and extending to the Hatice Sultan Palace at Defterdar Burnu. The European shores of the Bosphorus had become the most sought after of sites for the dwellings of the Sultan and his retinue.
Accounts of restorations made during the reign of Selim III to the Besiktas Palace refer to various pavilions and lodges by name, so that we know there existed at that time a Kasr-i Cedid, the Valide Sultan Dairesi, the Kasr-i Hümâyûn-i Tâcidarî and the Sahilhane-i Hümâyûn among others. Mahmut II (1808-1839) ordered the thorough restoration of the palace on his accession, to be carried out by the Imperial Architect -Bas Mimar Hafiz Mehmed Emin Efendi. The restoration was begun in 1809. On its completion, Mahmut II began to reside in the new palace as well as Topkapi.
During the reign of his son Abdülmecid (1839-1861), some of the pavilions belonging to the Besiktas Palace were demolished to make way for a new palace complex.
The imperial command to begin the new palace building was issued by Abdülmecid once a sizeable site had been cleared, in 1842-1843.
The main building was the first part of the palace to be completed, as the inscription medallion bearing the sultan's seal and the date 1847 (H. 1263) within the pendentive over the main portal informs us. A carved seal with the same date is to be found on the façade of the same building, which houses the public section of the palace-the Mabeyn-i Hümâyûn.
Similar seals and dates scattered throughout the complex give clear indication of the chronology of the palace's construction, successive dates fix the Imperial Gate-Saltanat Kapi as being finished earliest (in 1854/H. 1270) followed by the Dowager Sultan Gate-Valide Kapisi in 1855 (H.1271) and the Treasury Gate Hazine Kapi between 1855-1856 (H.1272). These dates show that the walls and gates of the palace were completed later than the main structure. Certainly it appears that the palace itself was completed gradually, stage by stage, and the construction as a whole seems to have lasted from 1842-1856.
The French writer Théophile Gautier relates how he was shown around the palace by one of the architects of the building, Garabet Balyan in 1853, when the interior was still being decorated. He also mentions that he was first shown a number of old buildings before they were pulled down.
The palace building and decoration were completed by 1856, according to the daily press Ceride-i Havadis of 11 June 1856 (7 ?evval 1272). An article printed in the press tells us that Abdülmecid took up residence in the palace on 7 June, (3 ?evval) and summoned his ministers on the following day do discuss the affairs of state, financial problems in particular. Discussing the latter, he is reported as saying: "The conviction that an increase in income should mean an increase in outlay at a time when the Ottoman dominions are yielding no revenue is disastrous, it is the road to ruin. The palace is sumptuous, it could have been less elaborate." When faced with the protestations of a member of court, who said "But my lord this is but little for you", the Sultan replied: "No, no, I also feel that this was extravagant."
Abdülmecid remained in the palace a very short time before his death. He was succeeded by Abdülaziz (1866-1876) who also resided in Dolmabahçe until his deposition and the succession of Murat V (1876). The sultanate of the latter was extremely short, ending in his deposition three months later and the succession of Abdülhamid II (1876-1909). The latter sultan remained in Dolmabahçe only one month before moving to Yildiz Palace for greater security. He remained there until his deposition. In 1909, Mehmet V came to the throne, and moved back into Dolmabahçe after having it renovated by one of the leading architects of the day, Vedat Tek. On the date of Mehmet V in 1918, his successor Mehmet VI (Vahdettin) (1918-1922) remained in Dolmabahçe for a certain time before moving to Yildiz Palace. It was from the jetty of Dolmabahçe that he was to leave Türkiye in 1922.
Subsequently, Abdülmecid Efendi, last of the Ottomans was installed in Dolmabahçe Palace as caliph on 18 November 1922, but with the abolition of the caliphate he was removed from the palace and left the country with his family.
Finally, a law passed on 3 March, 1924 on the directive of Atatürk (Law no. 431) declared the estates and possessions of the imperial family, including Dolmabahçe Palace and all the imperial pavilions, mansions and lodges to be part of the National Heritage.
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