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Masterpiece Of The History Of Architecture
Dolmabahçe Palace was the first European-style palace in Istanbul and was built by Sultan Abdülmecid between 1842 and 1853, at a cost of five million Ottoman gold pounds, the equivalent of 35 tons of gold. Fourteen tons of gold leaf was used to adorn the ceilings of the palace. At the centre of the hall, the world’s largest Bohemian crystal chandelier can be found; it was a gift from Queen Victoria. The chandelier has 750 lamps and weighs 4.5 tons. Dolmabahçe has the largest collection of Bohemian and Baccarat crystal chandeliers in the world, and one of the great staircases has bannisters of Baccarat crystal, brass and mahogany, all in the shape of a horseshoe. Another notable feature is the 150-year-old bearskin, a gift from the Tsar of Russia.
The first president of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk spent his last years in this palace, before passing away in 1938. This room is now part of the museum.
