★ 4.9–5.0700+ verified reviews on Google, Viator and GetYourGuide
Since 1967Family business on the Bosphorus
Free cancellationUp to 24 h before departure, refunded in full

Beylerbeyi Palace

In short. A summer palace with its front door on the sea — and the façade that stays gold after the European shore has gone blue.

  • What it is: built between 1861 and 1865 for Sultan Abdülaziz by the Balyan architects; 26 rooms, six halls, and two marble bathing pavilions right at the waterline.
  • Where: Asian shore, just north of the 15 July Martyrs Bridge.
  • On our route: a few minutes into the classic route, and again on the way home.
  • Best light: the façade faces west, so late in the day it holds the light long after the opposite bank has fallen into shadow.

Two minutes after you pass under the first bridge, a long white palace opens up on the Asian shore. This is Beylerbeyi — built between 1861 and 1865 for Sultan Abdülaziz by the Balyan family, the same architects who gave the strait Ortaköy Mosque and the vast Dolmabahçe Palace across the water. It was never a seat of government. It was a summer house and a guest house: twenty-six rooms and six halls kept ready for the sultan in hot weather and for visiting heads of state the rest of the year. Empress Eugénie of France stayed here in 1869 on her way to open the Suez Canal, and reportedly liked the window frames enough to copy them at home.

Why It Belongs to the Water

Beylerbeyi has its front door on the sea. Two small marble pavilions stand right at the waterline — bathing kiosks, one for the men of the household and one for the women — with terraced gardens climbing the hill behind them. Guests were expected to arrive by water, step off onto marble, and look up. From the coast road today you get a wall and a gate. From the water you get the composition the architects actually designed: pavilions, sea stair, and the palace stacked above, with the bridge cables filling the sky behind you.

The Sultan Who Watched the Strait

There is a quieter story in these walls. Abdülhamid II, deposed in 1909, spent his last six years here under guard from 1912 — no newspapers, no visitors, no going out. He filled the time with carpentry and with the window. He died in the palace in February 1918, having watched this exact stretch of water for six years without being allowed onto it. It is worth a thought as you pass: you are moving freely across the view that was the whole world of a man who had ruled an empire for thirty-three years.

From the Deck

Beylerbeyi sits on the Asian side just north of the 15 July Martyrs Bridge, so it arrives a few minutes into the classic route and again on the way home. Its façade faces west, which is the detail worth knowing: late in the day the palace holds the light long after the European shore has gone into shadow, so on a sunset run it turns warm and gold while the opposite bank is already blue. Timing notes are in our Bosphorus Sunset Guide. Keep going north and the next stop on the water is Rumeli Fortress.

See it from the water on the private sunset cruise — or from the deck of the group sunset tour.

Official source. Beylerbeyi Palace is administered by the Directorate of National Palaces. Opening hours, ticket prices and closed days are set by them and do change, so check the official Beylerbeyi Palace page before you plan a visit. We pass it on the Asian shore from the water — we do not sell tickets to it.

The palace is the southern end of a whole shore worth knowing. Kuzguncuk, Çengelköy, Kandilli and Kanlıca all follow north of it — our guide to the Asian side of the Bosphorus takes them in order.

Frequently Asked Questions About Beylerbeyi Palace

Can you visit Beylerbeyi Palace?

Yes. It operates as a museum under the national palaces authority. It is considerably smaller and usually far less crowded than Dolmabahçe, which for many visitors makes it the better palace visit. Check current opening days and tickets at millisaraylar.gov.tr before you go.

When was Beylerbeyi Palace built and for whom?

Between 1861 and 1865, for Sultan Abdülaziz, by the Balyan architects — the same family responsible for Dolmabahçe and Ortaköy Mosque.

How big is Beylerbeyi Palace?

Twenty-six rooms and six halls, plus two small marble bathing pavilions right at the waterline. It was a summer house and a guest house rather than a seat of government.

Who stayed at Beylerbeyi Palace?

Visiting heads of state. Empress Eugénie of France stayed here in 1869 on her way to open the Suez Canal. Abdülhamid II, deposed in 1909, spent his final years in the palace.

Where is Beylerbeyi Palace?

On the Asian shore, just north of the 15 July Martyrs Bridge — a couple of minutes into the classic route from Karaköy, and passed again on the way home.

What is the best light for it?

The façade faces west, so it holds the light late in the day, long after the opposite European bank has fallen into shadow. That makes it one of the last landmarks still lit on an evening cruise.

What else is on this shore?

Çengelköy, Kandilli, Anadolu Hisarı and Kanlıca all follow to the north. Our guide to the Asian side of the Bosphorus takes them in order.

Your date, your yacht — one fixed price

Tell us the day and how many guests. You get a written quote the same day. No port tax, no booking fee.

    Cruise date

    Group size

    Occasion



    Prefer to chat? WhatsApp us — free cancellation up to 24 h before departure.