Istanbul
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1. Dolmabahçe Sarayı
BesiktasAbdülmecid I, whose free-spending lifestyle later bankrupted the empire, had this palace built between 1843 and 1856 as a symbol of Turkey's march toward European-style modernization. It's also where Atatürk died (and all clocks in the palace are turned to his time of death). Its name means "filled-in garden," inspired by the imperial garden planted here by Sultan Ahmet I (ruled 1603–17). Abdülmecid gave father and son Garabet and Nikoğos Balyan complete freedom and an unlimited budget, the only demand being that the palace "surpass any other palace of any other potentate anywhere in the world." The result, an extraordinary mixture of Turkish and European architectural and decorative styles, is as over-the-top and showy as a palace should be—and every bit as garish as Versailles. Dolmabahçe is divided into the public Selamlık and the private Harem, which can only be seen on a separate guided tour. The two tours together take about 90 minutes. Afterward, stroll along the palace's nearly ½-km (¼-mile)-long waterfront facade and through the formal gardens, which have the Crystal Pavilion and Clock Museum. The palace has a daily visitor quota, so call the reservation number at least a day in advance to reserve tickets.
View Tours and ActivitiesDolmabahçe Cad., Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey212-327–2626-for reservations onlySight Details
Rate Includes: Selamlık TL120, Harem TL90, combined ticket TL150, Closed Mon. -
2. Askeri Müze
NisantasiThis large and fascinating museum boasts an extensive collection of swords, daggers, armor, and other weaponry, but it's not just for those interested in military history. Exhibits on the history of Turkic armies going back to the Huns, the Ottoman conquest of Istanbul, and more recent Turkish military engagements show the importance of military strength in shaping Ottoman history and modern Turkish society. Two gorgeously embroidered silk tents used by the Ottoman sultans on campaigns are particularly impressive. And don't miss the section of the great chain that the Byzantines stretched across the Golden Horn in 1453 during the Ottoman siege of the city. The highlight is the Mehter, or Janissary military band, which performs 17th- and 18th-century Ottoman military music in full period costume in a special auditorium at 3 pm when they're in town (most days when the museum is open). Watching this 55-member-strong ensemble, with their thunderous kettledrums and cymbals, will certainly give you an idea of why the Ottoman army was so feared in its day.
Valikonağı Cad., Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey212-233–2720Sight Details
Rate Includes: TL13, Closed Mon. -
3. Deniz Müzesi
BesiktasFounded in 1897 and located here since 1961, Istanbul's Naval Museum reopened in late 2013 with a new, state-of-the-art wing that impressively showcases its large collection of Ottoman-era boats and maritime paraphernalia. The multistory, hangar-like structure was built to house more than a dozen kayıks (caiques)—long, slim wooden boats rowed by oarsmen, that served as the primary mode of royal transportation in Istanbul for several hundred years. These graceful vessels are decorated with gorgeous painted patterns and intricate carvings and figureheads covered with gold leaf; most also have an equally ornate curtained wooden pavilion that was built for the sultan, his wife, or his mother. The underground level houses several exhibits of paintings, naval coats of arms, and other objects that give a good sense of the Ottoman Empire's onetime supremacy at sea. In the square just beside the museum are the tomb (usually locked) and a statue of Hayreddin Pasha, or "Barbarossa," the famous admiral of the empire's fleet in the Ottoman glory days of the early 16th century.
Beşiktaş Cad., Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey212-327–4346Sight Details
Rate Includes: TL13, Closed Mon. -
4. Yıldız Parkı
BesiktasThe wooded slopes of Yıldız Parkı once formed part of the great forest that covered the European shore of the Bosphorus from the Golden Horn to the Black Sea. In the waning years of the Ottoman Empire, the park was the private garden of the nearby Çırağan and Yıldız palaces, and the women of the harem would occasionally be allowed to visit, secluded from prying eyes as they wandered among acacias, maples, and cypresses. Today the park is still beautiful, particularly in spring when the tulips and other flowers bloom, and in fall when the leaves of the deciduous trees change color. At the top of the park (a 15- to 20-minute walk from the entrance) is the relatively modest (by Ottoman standards) Yıldız Şale (Yıldız Chalet), where the despotic Sultan Abdülhamid II (ruled 1876–1909) spent most of his time. It also served as a guesthouse for visiting heads of state, from Kaiser Wilhelm II to Charles de Gaulle and Margaret Thatcher. Also in the park is the Malta Köşkü, a late 19th-century Ottoman pavilion that now houses a restaurant with period decor and views of the Bosphorus.
Çırağan Cad., Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey212-261–8460-for park -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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