beylerbeyi palace

it's not a palace many people visit or seem to know much about. it isn't as big as dolmabahce but with 26 grand rooms, beautiful gardens, facing the bosphorous with the view of the bridge...it has much to offer. i had not been to a palace for years so getting a tour from a tour guide, and rules to not take pictures without having had permission which is shown by a 'permission tag' for your camera...needless to say i was impressed. saturdays and sundays are discount days which is always a treat when one doesn't know what to expect.


ege. ege is a good friend of mine who like me has led an interesting life of travel, adventure and her own share of roughing it in life. she is nuts about old historical architecture and is just as passionate about cultural heritages in abu dhabi as she is about istanbul. she was the perfect person to go to beylerbeyi palace with.

firstly a little bite to eat at the coast of beylerbeyi is a good idea. one has the atmosphere and it is a lesser rip off version of ortakoy. beylerbeyi is close to the bus stops and easy to get to. the tour guides were very capable and friendly. since beylerbeyi palace is open to wedding ceremonies sometimes there are a few complications; famous or politically strong indivuduals cannot be turned down and the place ends up like a garbage dump. besides that beylerbeyi is beautiful.

each room had a name, each room had a theme, each door had a different door knob painting and each ceiling was spectacular. i love it when my eyes sweep up upwards. i don't want everything to be at eyelevel aaallll the time you know. ege's passion for preservation came out with the move to complain to the authorities about the treatment of the grounds by allowing loud and crowded wedding parties with no regard to history.


the doors were ornate. i have always liked strong doors. i like doors with character. doors say so much about a house. for example to red doors of apartments in cambridge. bright and coinfident. the gold and black doors at beylerbeyi was saturated with pride and humble grandeur. it was the summer home of sultan abdulaziz and those who came after him. that is also where they entertained heads of state.

anyone who comes to istanbul and is not interested in the asian side should take a trip out to beylerbeyi. it's a pleasant relief from the crowds one finds at all the sights on the european side.