Where is Beylerbeyi Palace?

Beylerbeyi Palace is located on the Asian side of Istanbul. It is in the Uskudar district and built right next to the Bosporus of Istanbul. It is underneath the first Bosporus bridge you will see during a bosporus cruise. The palace is accessible by public transportation by bus or ferry. Beylerbeyi ferry port is right next to the palace gardens and the Beylerbeyi bus stop is across the entrance of the palace which is coming from Uskudar. Beylerbeyi Palace is a popular stop of many Istanbul tours taking travelers to Camlica Hill for phenomenal views of Istanbul city. We highly recommend a visit to Beylerbeyi Palace if you are touring the Asian part of Istanbul.

Architectural details of Beylerbeyi Palace

Beylerbeyi means the lord of the lords and the palace named the neighborhood of Uskudar district today. The area was called Istavroz by the Istanbulites because of a cross erected by the Byzantiums. It was a recreational area with a few churches and holy water springs used by the Christian community of Istanbul. Armenian architect family member Sarkis Balyan started the project in 1861 and finished the palaces, villas, and the passage of the palace in 1865. The Palace stands on 70.000 square meters of gardens with 3.000 square meters of closed areas. The two bathing pavilions and the main building is seen from the Bosporus. There are two more structures at the back of the palace built before the Beylerbeyi Palace. They were buildings of an earlier wooden palace that were lost to a fire. There is a tunnel underneath the palace for traffic which was reopened in 2016.

Important guests of the Beylerbeyi Palace

The palaces of Istanbul had chambers to host the guests of the Ottoman Sovereign. Beylerbeyi Palace hosted many important figures of history. In 1869, Empress Eugenie stayed in the Beylerbeyi Palace on the way to Egypt. She was on her way to the grand opening of the Suez Canal. It is suggested that Empress Eugenie loved the intricacy of the Beylerbeyi Palace so much that she had the windows of the bedroom she stayed in Beylerbeyi made for her bedroom in the Tuileries Palace in Paris. Sultan Abdulaziz was very interested in arts and he was a painter as well. The Sultan personally followed the construction and inspired the artists to reflect his passion for the season the walls and ceilings of the chambers. Seawater supplied covered pool on the first floor of the Palace is supporting this theory. Besides the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Shah Qajar of Iran had stayed in Beylerbeyi Palace as well. Sultan Abdulhamid II passed away in Beylerbeyi Palace in 1918 after 6 years of captivity in Beylerbeyi Palace.

Beylerbeyi Palace at present

Beylerbeyi Palace is a museum today which is managed by the Directorate of National Palaces. It is open to the public every day from 9 AM to 6 PM except Mondays. There is a beautiful cafe in the garden and phenomenal views of the Bosporus of Istanbul. It is a real gem of the late Ottoman architecture away from the tourist crowds and we highly recommend a visit to the Beylerbeyi Palace if you have an extra day to tour the Asian part of Istanbul.

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