Beylerbeyi Palace Istanbul

Beylerbeyi is a lovely district of Istanbul that during Byzantine times was mostly reserved for palaces and is where the pillars of the Asian side of the Bosphorus Bridge are.  

The Beylerbeyi Palace was built in 1861 on the site of wooden mansion (yali) and commissioned by Sultan Abdulmecid. The palaces interior and exterior decoration is a blend of eastern, western and Turkish designs and the 3-storey building is divided into two sections having the Harem for women in one and in the other is the selamlik for men. The palace has 6 halls and 26 rooms and all the original furniture, carpets, curtains and fixtures that have remained in good condition, and some of the most attractive features at the palace include the seaside façade decorations, the pool in the central hall, the spiral staircase and the lovely maintained gardens.

There is a large pool at the rear, terraces and it also has excellent stables.  The palace has small pavilions on the quayside that served as recreational purposes and was also used to accommodate visiting state dignitaries. A main road once passed through a tunnel beneath the palace which was closed in the 1970s.