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Dolmabahçe is a small area in the Beşiktaş district of Istanbul, Turkey. It’s located on the Bosporus a short walk downhill from Taksim Square.
Introduction to Dolmabahçe
Besides having spectacular views of the Bosporus, Dolmabahçe is historically and culturally important. First of all, before the Fall of Constantinople in 1453, Mehmed the Conqueror famously pulled his ships over land to the Golden Horn from there.
Secondly, Dolmabahçe Palace was built there in the 19th century. It replaced Topkapi Palace as the main Ottoman palace. Finally, Beşiktaş Stadium, home of the Beşiktaş football club, is located there. It was built on the site of İnönü Stadium, which was demolished in 2013.
Dolmabahçe Mosque
The second most important structure other than the palace is the Dolmabahçe Mosque (Dolmabahçe Camii). It was commissioned by Bezmiâlem Sultan (1807-1853), the mother of Abdülmecid I. The architect was Ottoman Armenian Nigoğayos Balyan (1826-1858). It’s best seen from the Bosporus.
Bezmiâlem Sultan died shortly after construction began in 1853 and Abdülmecid I completed it in her memory. It opened for prayers on March 23, 1855. Between 1948 and 1961, the mosque served as the Istanbul Naval Museum. It reopened for prayers in 1967. The official name of the mosque is Bezmiâlem Valide Mosque (Bezmiâlem Valide Camii).
The Baroque mosque features a two-story Sultan’s Pavilion (Hünkâr Kasrı) along the façade. It consists of two L-shaped wings. The prayer hall is on a square plan measuring 25 x 25 meters. It’s topped by a single dome. There are two minarets standing 40.25 meters (132.05 feet) high.
Hacı Mehmed Emin Ağa Fountain
Across the street is the Hacı Mehmed Emin Ağa Fountain (Hacı Mehmed Emin Ağa Çeşmesi). It was built in 1741 along with a cemetery. After Mehmed Emin Ağa died, his son Tersane Emini Hüseyin Ağa built a school and shops next to it.
The complex was renovated in 1937, but the school and shops were demolished due to expansion of the road in 1957. The fountain was renovated once again in 2007 after falling into disrepair. The cemetery contains the graves of Mehmed Emin Ağa and his sons.
December 10 Martyrs Park
The park running up the hill behind the Hacı Mehmed Emin Ağa Fountain is December 10 Martyrs Park (10 Aralık Şehitleri Parkı). It was named after the 48 people killed in twin bomb attacks in front of Beşiktaş Stadium and in Maçka Park on December 10, 2016. The Kurdistan Freedom Hawks, a Kurdish nationalist militant group, took responsibility.
Before the bombings, the park was called Free Hill (Beleştepe), because Beşiktaş fans were able to freely look into the old stadium before Beşiktaş Stadium was built. The path through the park leads up to Gümüşsuyu and İnönü Street.
Where to Eat in Dolmabahçe
The area doesn’t have many choices as far as food, but there’s a great place right on the Bosporus.
Dolmabahçe Kafeterya
Dolmabahçe Kafeterya is a great place to enjoy the Bosporus. The seaside café, between the mosque and the entrance to the palace, is open daily from morning til night. You can walk through a parking lot to get there.
