Tour D1 Dolmabahce palace (Harem and Selamlik), 1001 column underground cister, Suleymaniye mosque, Little Aya - Sophia mosque
Dolmabahce Palace - built in the mid-19th century by order of Sultan Abdul-Mejid I, with the aim of competing with the best palaces of European monarchs in its luxury. Dolmabahce remained a functioning palace of the Ottoman sultans until the collapse of the empire and the beginning of the reign of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. The palace consists of two parts: the public "selamlik" and the "harem" where the concubines were housed. 14 tons of gold were used in the decoration of the palace, and among the main valuables are a five-ton chandelier donated by Queen Victoria, a collection of paintings by Aivazovsky and the famous Crystal Staircase. The last resident of the palace was Ataturk. After his death in 1938, the palace became a museum. Dolmabahce Palace is visited by approximately 2 million people annually
Harem of Dolmabahce Palace - this is a closed and guarded residential part of the palace, where the concubines and wives of the sultan lived (forbidden, sacred place). More than half of the area of the Dolmabahce Palace is allocated to the harem, in the eastern section were the chambers of the mother of the padishah, his family and other members of the ruling dynasty. In the remaining sections, the concubines of the sultan lived. The interior of the harem is made in the neo-baroque style and is connected to the main palace by a long, wide corridor. The most luxurious halls in the harem are the Blue Hall and the Pink Hall. In the Blue Hall, which received this name thanks to the main shade of the furniture and curtains, events associated with religious holidays were held, during which the inhabitants of the harem were allowed here. The Pink Hall, also named after the dominant shade in its interiors, served as a hall for distinguished guests received by the Sultan's mother.
Suleymaniye Mosque - built by the great architect Mimar Sinan 1557 by order of Sultan Suleiman for his wife Hurrem. The mosque is a masterpiece of architecture, which you can see for yourself. This is the very place where Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, his Slavic wife Hurrem and their beloved daughter Mihrimah are buried. The mosque includes a whole complex of baths, madrassas, kitchens, a library and an observatory. And from the observation deck of the Suleymaniye Mosque you can enjoy enchanting panoramas of the city.
Philoxena tank or Binbirdirek - which means 1001 columns. It is one of the oldest cisterns in the city, which was
built in the 5th century under the supervision of a certain senator Philoxenus, from which the name actually comes. The cistern is a hypostyle hall, the brick vaults of which rest on 224 marble columns. Most of the columns are marked with inscriptions of several letters in Greek, probably the signatures of the foremen of the artels that made the columns.
Little Hagia Sophia - one of the oldest mosques in Istanbul. The same architects who later built the Hagia Sophia worked on the construction of the temple. Of particular interest is the interior of the mosque, rich in openwork decorative elements. Openwork colonnades, cornices, capitals, and ornaments turn it into a wonderful example of elegant architecture. The construction of the mosque was completed in 536. The territory also houses an ancient
cemetery of noble people, a madrasah, and a tea garden.
08:30-15:00 DAILY (except Monday)
- Dolmabahce palace (Harem and Selamlik),
- 1001 column underground cister,
- Suleymaniye mosque,
- Little Aya - Sophia mosque
- DOLMABAHCE PALACE (HAREM AND SELAMLIK),
- 1001 COLUMN UNDERGROUND CISTER,
- SULEYMANIYE MOSQUE,
- LITTLE AYA SOPHIA MOSQUE,
- TRANSFER,
- PROFESSIONAL GUIDE SERVICES