Beylerbeyi Palace
On Gingerguide's self-guided Istanbul audio tour, Beylerbeyi Palace is a stop worth about ~60 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.
- Type palace
- Suggested visit ~60 min
- Istanbul Istanbul guide
About Beylerbeyi Palace
A white-marble summer palace on the Bosphorus's Asian shore, built in the 1860s for Sultan Abdulaziz as an imperial retreat and guesthouse for visiting kings and emperors.
Beylerbeyi Palace was commissioned by Sultan Abdulaziz and built between 1861 and 1865 on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus in Uskudar, just north of today's 15 July Martyrs Bridge. It was designed by Sarkis Balyan of the Balyan family of imperial Ottoman architects, in a Second-Empire style that blends Western and traditional Ottoman elements. The palace served as an imperial summer residence and as a state guesthouse for visiting heads of state.
Its three storeys hold 24 rooms and 6 halls, furnished with Bohemian and Baccarat crystal chandeliers, Hereke carpets and imported porcelain. Guests included Empress Eugenie of France, who stayed in 1869 on her way to open the Suez Canal, along with Edward VII, Emperor Franz Joseph, Nicholas I of Montenegro and Kaiser Wilhelm II. The deposed Sultan Abdulhamid II died here in 1918. It is now a museum run by the Directorate of National Palaces.
Did you know? Empress Eugenie of France so admired the palace during her 1869 visit that she had a copy of one of its guest-room windows made for her own bedroom in the Tuileries Palace in Paris.
How much time do you need at Beylerbeyi Palace?
Around ~60 min works well for Beylerbeyi Palace — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.
Should you stop at Beylerbeyi Palace?
Yes — Beylerbeyi Palace made the cut as one of 40 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across Istanbul. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.
Nearby stops in Istanbul
Sources and further reading
Where to check the facts about Beylerbeyi Palace and read more:
Day 2 of the Istanbul in 2 days itinerary →Day 3 of the Istanbul in 3 days itinerary →
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Hear the story of Beylerbeyi Palace
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