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Beylerbeyi Palace (Beylerbeyi Sarayı) is a magnificent Ottoman palace under the Bosporus Bridge in Istanbul, Turkey. It’s located in the village of Beylerbeyi.
History of Beylerbeyi Palace
Beylerbeyi Palace is a Neo-Baroque palace built for Sultan Abdülaziz and designed by Ottoman Armenian architect Sarkis Balyan (1835-1899). Construction began on August 6, 1863, and the official opening took place on April 21, 1865.
The palace was used as a summer residence and also hosted visiting heads of state. Famous guests included Empress Eugénie of France (1826-1920), Franz Joseph I of Austria-Hungary (1830-1916), and Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany. One of these guests nearly sparked an international incident. When Empress Eugénie visited in 1869, Sultan Abdülaziz’s mother, Pertevniyal Sultan (1812-1883), slapped Eugénie across the face because she entered the palace on the arm of the Sultan.
In the final years of the Ottoman Empire, the deposed Abdülhamid II was imprisoned there for six years until his death on February 10, 1918.
After the establishment of the Turkish Republic, the palace was put under the administration of the Directorate of National Palaces (Millî Saraylar Başkanlığı). It hosted Reza Shah Pahlavi of Iran in 1934 and held the Balkan Games Festival in 1936. It opened to the public as a museum in 1984.
Getting to Beylerbeyi Palace
The easiest way to get to Beylerbeyi Palace is through Üsküdar. Take a ferry to Üsküdar and walk to the Üsküdar Cami Önü stop (in front of the mosque across the street from the ferry terminal). Hop on any bus with the number 15. Beylerbeyi Palace is the second stop after crossing under the Bosporus Bridge and Beylerbeyi village is the third stop.
You can also take a dolmuş going to Beykoz and ask the driver to let you out at Beylerbeyi Palace – it’s much faster than the bus.
There’s a ferry service on the Istanbul City Ferry Lines (İstanbul Şehir Hatları) from Üsküdar but it isn’t frequent or convenient.
Visiting Beylerbeyi Palace
The palace is open to visitors from 9am to 6pm daily except Mondays. Tickets for foreigners are 700₺ (as of June 2025) and includes a complimentary audioguide. Everyone who enters the palace is given protective booties to wear over their shoes. Photographs are forbidden inside. Admission to the garden only is 60₺ (as of June 2025). Check the official website for more information.
When I visited, the palace was only accessible via guided tour. They were available in English and Turkish and I had to wait more than an hour for a tour in English. The system is much better today.
Tunnel
Once you pay for your ticket to the palace, you walk through a long tunnel. It was built by Mahmud II in 1829 for an older palace he had constructed on the same site in 1832. That palace burned down in 1851 and was demolished in 1861.
After you exit the tunnel, you’re on the grounds of the palace. If you look up, you can see you’re right under the Bosporus Bridge.
Main Palace Building
Beylerbeyi Palace consists of a harem and selamlık. The south entrance is guarded by two impressive marble lions. It’s 3 stories high and contains 26 rooms and 6 halls. The interior features a combination of Turkish and Western decor. This includes Turkish carpets; Egyptian straw mats; French crystal chandeliers; and clocks from England, France, and Turkey. Porcelain from China, Japan, France, Germany, and Yıldız Palace is also on display.
The self-guided tour takes you through several rooms, such as the Sultan’s bedroom, offices, sitting rooms, and more. The rooms are stunningly decorated and the pictures don’t do it justice. The two photos below of the interior of the palace were taken by Anton Lefterov.
Pavilions at Beylerbeyi Palace
On the palace grounds there are a few small pavilions. The Marble Pavilion (Mermer Köşk), the Yellow Pavilion (Sarı Köşk), and the Imperial Stables (Has Ahır Köşkü) were inaccessible during my visit. The Marble Pavilion was originally built by Mahmud II as a hunting lodge while the Yellow Pavilion hosted informal receptions and was used for leisure.
Sea Pavilions
The Sea Pavilions (Deniz Köşkleri) were used as a place of relaxation. One was designated for men and the other for women. They were also used to greet visitors arriving by sea. One was under restoration during my last visit.
Garden of Beylerbeyi Palace
The garden of Beylerbeyi Palace hosts a small bamboo forest, a tea garden (çay bahçesi), a restaurant, and some interesting bronze sculptures. Sultan Abdülaziz commissioned 24 animal sculptures to decorate the gardens of Beylerbeyi Palace and Çırağa Palace. They were designed in 1864 by French sculptor Pierre Louis Rouillard (1820-1881). 12 were made of bronze and 12 of marble.
Ağas’ Apartment
Outside the grounds of Beylerbeyi Palace is the Ağalar Apartment (Ağalar Dairesi), which was built as part of the palace complex. It originally housed high-ranking palace officials and servants. During the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78 it was used as a shelter for refugees from the Caucasus and later converted to a hospital by the Red Crescent Society (Hilal-i Ahmer Cemiyeti) to treat wounded soldiers. It also temporarily housed victims of the devastating 1887 fire. During the late Ottoman period, it was used as a barracks.
In 1926, the building became the Beylerbeyi Primary School (Beylerbeyi İlkokulu), but it burned down in 1943 and was rebuilt as a single story structure. It was restored according to its original design by the Hacı Ömer Sabancı Foundation in 1986 and transferred to the Ministry of National Education (Millî Eğitim Bakanlığı).
Since 1988, it has housed the Istanbul Sabancı Maturation Institute (İstanbul Sabancı Olgunlaşma Enstitüsü), which is dedicated to the research, design, production, promotion, and marketing of traditional Turkish clothing and handicrafts.
