What you'll hear inside Dolmabahçe Sarayı:

• 1
  Muayede Salonu

  The Muayede Salonu is the principal ceremonial hall of Dolmabahçe Palace, physically separating the administrative and masculine quarters from the imperial harem.

• 2
  Mabeyn-i Hümâyûn (Selamlık)

  The Mabeyn-i Hümâyûn, or Selamlık, is the administrative wing of Dolmabahçe Palace, historically reserved for affairs of state and official audiences, arranged through a sequence of grand reception…

• 3
  Harem-i Hümâyûn

  The Harem-i Hümâyûn was the private residence of the sultan and his family within Dolmabahçe Palace, where daily court life unfolded away from public ceremony, blending Ottoman tradition with…

• 4
  Crystal Staircase

  Regarded as Dolmabahçe Palace's most celebrated feature, the Crystal Staircase is crafted from Baccarat crystal and brass, its remarkable transparency allowing light to pass freely through it as it…

• 5
  Medhal Hall (Main Entrance)

  The Medhal Hall is the main entrance to the Mabeyn-i Hümâyûn (Selamlık) and the starting point for the official tour.

• 6
  Sufera Hall (Hall of Ambassadors)

  The Sufera Hall, or Ambassadors' Hall, situated above the Medhal Room, is one of Dolmabahçe's most lavish spaces, where ambassadors awaited audiences with the sultan, distinguished by its gilded…

• 7
  Red Hall

  The Red Room at Dolmabahçe Palace takes its name from the predominant red tones of its décor, with every detail reflecting a distinctive blend of Ottoman heritage and European influence.

• 8
  Blue Chamber

  The Blue Salon occupies a prominent position within the harem of Dolmabahçe Palace, distinguished by striking azure tones throughout its decorations, paintings and marble work.

• 9
  Zulvecheyn Mansion

  The Zulvecheyn Hall, or Hall of Two Swords, serves as a passageway connecting the harem to the Selamlık, linking the sultan's private quarters with the palace's administrative areas.

• 10
  Clock Tower (Dolmabahçe Saat Kulesi)

  Standing 27 metres tall opposite the palace's Treasury Gate, this four-sided, four-storey clock tower was designed in Ottoman neo-baroque style by court architect Sarkis Balyan between 1890 and 1895.