Istanbul’s palaces

Built in 1865 by Sultan Abdulaziz (1830–1876) as a summer residence and to entertain guests, this stunning palace offers a fascinating insight into the grandeur of the Ottoman Empire and the decadent lifestyles of its sultans.

An extraordinarily opulent 19th-century palace that blends Ottoman architecture with Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassical styles.

On the lesser-explored Asian side of Istanbul, this petite palace, built in 1857, served as a hunting lodge and summer retreat for Sultan Abdulmecid I. Inside, it’s lavishly furnished with crystal chandeliers, marble fireplaces and Persian rugs. It’s open to the public as a museum.

One of the city’s oldest and best-preserved Byzantine palaces, the Tekfur Palace aka ‘Palace of the Porphyrogenitus’ was built during the 12th century as a royal residence for the Byzantine emperors. It now lies abandoned, with ruins for visitors to explore.

The 15th and-16th century home of the Ottoman Sultans, this magnificently decadent palace is a perfectly preserved time capsule of life at the top in this most exotic of empires.