Sightseeing of Istanbul: Dolmabach Palace

On the shore of the Bosphorus is famous "New palace" Dolmabachche (1843-1856.). For many years he served as a summer residence of Sultanov. On the beauty and luxury of the finish, this baroque complex could easily compete with the best palaces of the era, and the collection of his art objects was considered one of the best in the region (here was kept here, for example, the most complete collection of cauldons Aivazovsky).

The facade of the palace stretches along the Bosphor Embankment at 600 meters, and a four-ton chandelier donated by the Queen Victoria, hanging in the Throne Hall, is considered one of the largest in the world (only the lamps themselves are numbered here 750!). How to tell Turkish guides, "everything that is now painted in yellow, with the sultans was gold" – And this is not an exaggeration.

After the fall of the monarchy, he lived here, worked and kemal Ataturk died; Until September 2007, the palace remained a museum, and now there is an official residence of the Prime Minister (the entrance to the open part of the complex is possible daily, except Monday and Thursday, from 9.00 to 16.00, entrance ticket – 12 try, in harem – 8 try).

In the eastern wing of the palace, the Museum of Fine Arts is located (open from Wednesday to Sunday, from 10.00 to 16.00, free of entry), which keeps the country’s best collection of works of the XIX-XX centuries, including a large collection of paintings by Osman Hamidi Bay (1842-1910.) – founder of the Istanbul Archaeological Museum and the Academy of Arts, as well as the first Muslim painter, exhibited outside the country.